Lost Souls
by phlawere
Summary: He doesn't know who he is. Or who she is. She has the same problem. Can they find their way home again? InuxKag
1. Waking Up

This chappie's short, but later ones will be longer. I'm restarting Lost Souls in the middle, because I think it'll be more interesting if I start here and do flashbacks. Uh, I don't own Inuyasha. I can't afford him right now. That's all. :)

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The girl wakes up._ I'm...lying on something...soft and...and warm._ She opens her eyes, but can't see anything. Something is covering her face. So she listens.

_Birds...twittering. And...and...breathing?! _The girl feels herself being lifted slightly as whatever..._whoever_...she is lying on, breathes in...then stops. Slowly it breathes again.

_Aaaaaaggggghhhh..._ Her heart rate speeds up. Panic is setting in. The girl fights the urge to jump up and run away.

_The...it's moving away...the blanket? What's covering me?_ The girl freezes and blinks rapidly, adjusting to the bright sunlight as her head and shoulders are uncovered. She hears a gasp. Gulping, the girl slowly turns her head...

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_Where...where am I?_ He thinks, slowly coming back to conciousness. He can smell something. _What...what is that? Cherry...blossoms? And... and blood?! But...it's not my blood...wait! Yes...I can can smell my own blood, too!_ The teen feels an aching pain in his right arm, and his head his pounding. It's also difficult to breathe. Slowly he opens his eyes, taking in bright sunlight and large trees. He's laying back against one of them. Two small birds fly by, twirling around one another. _It...must be springtime..._

Letting his eyes drop to the ground, he sees a bow lying to his right side. He frowns. _That...doesn't seem familiar..._ Looking across his body to the left, he see a very old, rusty sword, and a scabbard hanging from his...

He jerks his head back to stomach and legs, holding his breath. Slowly the sleeves of his haori rise, but he hasn't moved at all. _Aaahhhh...what?_ Moving his arms away from where they are crossed over his middle, he sees dark hair spilling across his torso and down his sides to the ground. He gasps.

Lying on his stomach is the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. And he doesn't have a clue who she is. But I guess that's alright. Because he doesn't know who he is either.

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See? Short. I promise later chaps will be longer. I just wanted to get this one started again and see if there's any interest. Ok, well off to work on other stuff... 


	2. First Impressions

This one's really short-cause I wanted a little break in between writing another story--to let my brain rest. Plus, I think it needs to kind of stand alone. Anyways, enjoy the next minute or so of reading. Disclaimer: Inu isn't mine. :(

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The first thing the girl notices are his eyes. _Yellow? No...darker...like...like...amber. They're beautiful..._ She feels her heart skip a beat. Furrowing her brow at her strange reaction, the girl takes a deep breath and hesitantly removes her arms from around the strange man's stomach, pushing herself up a little. She grimaces in pain. _Ev...everything...hurts..._

The girl stops moving, fighting to keep from dropping back onto the boy. Tiny beads of sweat break out across her brow, and her arms start shaking. _Weak..._

The young woman drops back onto the man lying beside her, hearing a soft "_whoomph"_ as she falls on his chest.

"Hey! Hey, girl! Are you okay?" Breathing deeply, the girl barely hears his reaction, as a strong arm wraps around her shoulders.

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He can't speak. He just stares. His breath catches as he looks into the girl's soft, chocolate-brown eyes. Eyes that are staring into his own. He sees...something...cross them before she tries to sit up. _What...was...that...?_

Watching her face, the boy can see she's in obvious pain. Something about seeing the girl like this makes his chest constrict. For some unknown reason, he doesn't want to see her this way.

Just before the boy speaks, the girl falls back onto his chest, making him gasp as the air is knocked out of him. Seeing her deep breathing, the young man is immediately concerned, though he doesn't know why.

"Hey! Hey, girl! Are you okay?" he asks, putting his left arm around the girl's shoulders and pulling her up to sit in his lap.

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Hey all. Hope you liked this short one. I wanted to show that Inu and Kag obviously care about each other--even before they remember who they are. Which won't be for awhile. ;) I promise later chaps will be longer. I'll try to update again this week, but I've got another story to do first, so we'll see. Bye!


	3. Who are you? Who am I?

Here's chap 3! Yay! Um...Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine, blah, blah... I think that's all...

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"We need to go look for them!" Sango yells, pacing back and forth in Kaede's hut, glaring at Miroku each time she passes him.

"I agree, Sango. But where do you suggest we look?" the monk calmly replies as the demon-slayer stomps past him again. "They didn't...reappear...like Koga and Shippo did," he says, glancing at the okami and the kitsune.

Koga is sitting against the back wall of the hut, glaring at the two humans, his arms crossed. His two vassals--Hakkaku and Ginta--are seated on either side of him, talking across the young leader of the demon-wolf tribe. They are the only reason he hadn't left as soon as he woke up.

Shifting his eyes to one of the corners, Miroku sees Shippo curled in a ball, his tiny arms wrapped around Kilala. The monk sighs in relief yet again. Shippo had panicked when he woke up, running away from everyone who had tried to get close. The little fox-demon didn't trust any of them. When he accidentally transformed into his flying form, Kilala had been the one to catch and bring him back. He hadn't let go of her since.

"Well, what are we going to do?" Sango demands, bringing the hoshi's attention back to their conversation. Miroku reaches out and grabs her arm, forcing the slayer to look at him. He's surprised to see tears in her brown eyes. The monk pulls her into a hug, gasping as she wraps her arms around him, squeezing him tightly. He hears Sango begin to cry.

Placing one hand behind her head, Miroku whispers, "We just have to pray to Kami that they'll be alright. Trying to find them would be like looking for the jewel shards without Kagome. No telling how far they traveled, either. They could have ended up on the mainland, for all we know. The only thing that's certan is that they're together--like Koga and Shippo were when they reappeared." _I hope..._ the monk thinks to himself. "And Koga's already remembered that he's a demon and he recognizes Kagome's backpack, though he still doesn't know why. Their memories will return, but it will take awhile. We just have to trust that Inuyasha and Kagome will stay together until then," he finishes.

Sango steps away from the him, wiping her eyes. "But...what if they don't?" she asks, her voice getting higher. "There's no way Kagome can survive on her own!" she almost yells, burying her head in her hands as more tears fall from her eyes.

Miroku grabs the tajiya's shoulders, shaking her slightly to get her to look at him. "Inuyasha won't leave Kagome. They have a much stronger bond than either of them lets on," he says firmly. Sango nods once, but her eyes betray the doubt she has in the hanyou. Miroku pulls her into another hug. "He won't let anything happen to her. Even if _he_ doesn't remember Kagome, his _heart_ will. Have faith in Inuyasha, Sango. There's more to the half-demon than we can see."

The slayer sighs, hugging the monk again before she backs away. "Thanks, Miroku. But what if Kagome tries to leave him? If she doesn't remember he's a half-demon, what's to keep her from getting scared and running off?" she asks, fear darkening her eyes.

"I don't think Kagome will do that. She didn't know anything about demons when she first met Inuyasha, and he didn't scare her then." The monk sighs. "As long as Inuyasha doesn't threaten her--which I doubt he'd do as she obviously won't be a danger to the hanyou--they should be fine." Sango stares at him a moment before nodding her agreement. Miroku looks at Shippo, who is still asleep, and Koga, who is now arguing with Ginta about whether to eat something he is offering. "The most we can do is find out what happened to them, and see if there's any way to get their memories back faster. But I doubt there is," the hoshi whispers, looking back at Sango.

The tajiya sighs, looking down at her feet. "We should get some sleep. I have a feeling we're going to be needing it," she says, walking over to her mat and lying down. Miroku takes one last glance at Shippo, exchanging a look with Kilala to make sure she'll watch over the kitsune. The monk hears an almost inaudible mew from the corner as he lays down on the other side of the hut from Sango. At the back, he sees Hakkaku and Ginta lean over and blow out the torches glowing softly beside them.

As the tiny space is thrown into darkness, the monk hears Sango sigh again and begin mumbling softy. He knows she's praying for their friends. Taking a deep breath, Miroku closes his eyes and does the same.

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The girl is sitting in his lap, trying to catch her breath. _Well...I'm pretty sure he doesn't intend to hurt me, at any rate..._she thinks, as the boy hugs her to his chest. The girl's heart beats faster as a different thought enters her head. _Does...does he know who he is? _They had been this way for the better part of an hour--the boy simply allowing her to regain her strength. He hadn't said a word--only held her close, occasionally stroking her hair. The girl felt safe in his arms. _What if he doesn't know who he is either? What will I do then?_

The girl glances down at his arm again. She had noticed that it was injured, but was too weak to do anything about it. Looking past his arm, she sees a bow lying beside them. _I wonder which one of us that belongs to...since there doesn't seem to be anyone else here. _

Glancing up at the short bushes a few feet away, the girl sees small plants growing underneath them. She doesn't know how, but she's certain that a broth made from the roots of that plant will ease his pain. _And mine...everything hurts..._

The two of them seemed to be lying next to a ill-used path. Blocking out the boy's breathing, the girl closes her eyes and listens. ..._A_ _waterfall...I wondered what that dull roar was..._ Opening her eyes, the girl focuses on a different plant growing on the other side of the path. _That should help with his bleeding..._

Taking a deep breath, the young woman lifts her head, turning to look at the boy's face. Her eyes glance briefly at the fuzzy ears on top of his head, leaving her wondering why she didn't notice them before. _He's not like me...human...what is he? _Fighting the urge to reach up and touch them, the girl looks back to his face, noticing that he's frowning a little. _What's wrong?_

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He had been holding her for awhile now, running his hands through her hair every few minutes, the sweet scent of it filling his nose. _Cherry blossoms...that's where the smell was coming from..._ he thinks, looking around the area, noticing the lack of cherry trees. The boy takes a deep breath, inhaling her scent again. _Even though...I don't have any idea where I am or...__**who**__... I am, having her with me makes me feel...calm...peaceful, almost..._

The girl is still sitting in his lap, looking at a bush growing a little ways away. The boy raises one eyebrow, wondering why she's staring at a plant. _Did she hit her head? _

He feels her take a deep breath before sitting up, leaning on his chest for support. She glances above his head for a second before bringing her eyes back down to look at his face. But he's not looking at her's.

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The boy reaches out and touches the girl's neck and shoulder, pulling her shirt down a little. She flinches in pain and tries to pull away at his sudden lack of boundaries, but his hand won't let her move. She sees him grit his teeth.

"What?" she asks, tilting her head to try and see what he's looking at. The girl immediately regrets it. Blinding pain shoots up her neck, making her shut her eyes and concentrate on not being sick. She unconsciously clenches his hoari in her fists.

Pulling her closer, the boy runs his hand over her shoulder, growling in her ear. "You've got a bad cut here," he says, leaning back to look at her. She opens her eyes, biting back tears. "Try not to move your neck and arm too much, at least until we can get something on it."

She blinks at him a few times. _We??_ The girl gives him a small nod, trying to move her neck as little as possible. Glancing at his arm, she says, "You shouldn't move that arm, either."

The boy looks down, noticing the similar gash on his forearm, and tries to lift his hand a few inches. He immediately drops it back to the ground, his face going pale. "I...I don't think it's broken, at least--that's good," he says, offering her a small smile. She grins at his feeble attempt to lighten the mood. The young man feels his heart skip a beat at seeing her smile, making his cheeks flush a little.

"What?" she asks again, upon noticing his blush.

"Nothing," he responds, running his other hand through his hair. They sit in silence for a few minutes, neither one wanting to admit to losing their memory. Finally, the girl sighs, making the boy look at her.

"Ok-we could sit here all day and act like everything's...fine, but neither one of us seems to recognize the other...or...ourselves," she adds at the last second. "Am I right?"

He hesitates a moment before nodding.

"Alright. Since neither one of us remembers anything, let's just take this one problem at a time--starting with fixing up our wounds--agreed?" she asks, leaning back in an attempt to stand up. The girl makes it into a crouching position before the pain gets to her. A sound somewhere between a whine and a growl escapes her throat as she shuts her eyes tightly.

A few seconds later she feels an arm around her waist as the boy helps her to her feet, allowing her to lean against his chest until her dizziness passes.

"Thanks," she says, looking up at him. He smiles, revealing white fangs. The girl's face betrays her surprise. His smile immediately disappears.

"What?" he asks. He didn't like the look she had given him.

She hesitates a moment before speaking. "I...I'll tell you in a few minutes--after we take care of our wounds," she says, taking a step away from him. The girl yelps in pain and stumbles before the boy catches her.

Looking down, both of them see a gash on her leg, just below her knee. It's similar to the first two. "I think that we were attacked by something," he says, turning away from her to stare off in the distance.

The girl follows his gaze, but doesn't see anything. She sees his ears twitch--again fighting the urge to touch them--and looks back toward the bow on the ground. As her eyes flicker past his waist, she sees a small spot of darker red at the edge. "Turn around," she tells him, putting her left hand on his waist and turning him slightly. The boy glances at her, surprised, before doing what she said. He grunts in pain as she lays a hand on his back, moving his long silver hair aside and pulling his haori and kosode up.

"Oh...my...," she breathes, looking at his back. A huge gash runs from below his waist to his shoulder blades. It's similar to the other ones, except that there's _something _in the wound. "Does it hurt?" she asks, touching one edge of the wound. She gasps as the purplish, smoky substance disappears where her fingers had touched him, the gap spreading out until the substance is completely gone. The girl stares.

"What did you do?" he asks, turning back around to look at her. She blushes, dropping her eyes to the ground.

"I...I'm sorry. I...I didn't mean to...," she says quietly.

"No," he says quickly--unconsciously placing his hand to her cheek. She looks up as his fingers touch her skin. He jerks his arm back a second later. "Before you touched my back, it was...burning... It felt like someone was...was .." He looks away for a moment, unable to finish the sentence. He turns back to her. "Now that's gone. It still hurts, but I don't feel like screaming from the pain anymore."

The girl allows a small smile to form on her lips, to be immediately replaced with a frown. "Why didn't you mention your back?" she asks accusingly.

The boy looks surprised. "I...it didn't...hurt that much," he says, running his hands through his hair again. The girl scowls.

"You just said you felt like screaming, it hurt so bad. Why would you keep that a secret?" she asks, trying to cross her arms, but changing her mind when her neck starts to hurt.

The boy looks annoyed now. Frowning at her, he retorts, "Am I gonna have to mention every little problem I have? I don't even know who you are. You could have been the one to do this to me in the first place!" he says, waving his good arm around in the air.

The girl glares at him for so long that the boy audibly gulps and takes a step back from her. "First off, that wound looks like the one on your arm and the ones I have, so I seriously doubt that I was the one that injured you. Second...," the girl pauses mid-sentence to punch him in the jaw.

Jerking his head back to her, the boy openly gapes. She smirks. "Did you even feel that?" she asks, placing her hand on her hip.

He closes his mouth, opening it again and rubbing his chin with his left hand. "Not... really...," he admits.

"Thought so...you're different than me...somehow...," she says, trailing off and glancing at the top of his head. Wondering what she keeps looking at, the boy moves his hand up to his fuzzy, silver-furred ears. He frowns as he notices the girl's are on the side of her head.

"Wha...," he starts to ask, but the girl interrupts, continuing where she left off.

"Third...since neither one of us knows anything, the best idea for right now is to be open with each other. Something that seems insignificant to you may help trigger my memory, and vice versa with you. That's why you should have told me about your back--I didn't, but I could have recognized that...stuff. And...," she says, glaring at him again, "...you were in far more pain than I was. I would have suggested we find a way to ease that some."

The boy stares at her with a semi-disgusted look, as if he'd rather injure himself again than admit he needs help. He finally rolls his eyes at her and huffs loudly, reaching down to pick up the bow, grunting a little in the process. He tries to hand it to her. She doesn't take it. "Here," he says, offering it again.

She stares at him. "Why would you think that's mine?" she asks, frowning at the weapon.

The boy sticks the bow under his injured arm, and reaches for her good shoulder, pulling on a strap that she hadn't even noticed. The girl gasps as a quiver full of arrows slides down her arm. "Still wonder if it's yours?" he asks, smirking at her as he pulls the strap back up. She sighs and takes the bow out from under his arm, slinging it on the same shoulder.

Glancing at the sheath hanging from his hip, she says, "I assume the sword is yours then?"

"I guess," he says, bending to pick up the weapon. The girl hears him hiss at the pain in his back. Standing back up, the boy rotates the rusty sword a few times before sheathing it. "Doesn't look like much--does it?" he asks, wrapping his arm around her waist and heading along the path to the waterfall.

"Maybe...maybe it was a gift? or belonged to a friend? or relative?" she offers. The sword obviously wasn't used for fighting.

The young man shrugs as they make their way along the overgrown path. "Hey...do you know your name? I can't just call you "girl" or "hey you," you know," he says, stopping to move a small tree that had fallen over the path.

The girl nods in agreement. "You're right--but I don't know my name. Or yours," she says, as he comes back to her and they begin walking again. "Do you just want to make up names for now?" she asks, moving a low hanging branch out of their way.

"Thanks. Yeah-I guess. What do you want to be called?" he asks, as they round a bend and see the top of the waterfall, mist rising above it, reflecting the morning light into rainbow colors.

The girl shrugs her good shoulder. "I don't know. Why don't you pick one for me--since it's only until we remember our real names?" _Hopefully we remember our real names... _she thinks, refusing to let the boy see the frown trying to form on her lips.

The boy smiles at her, showing his fangs again. "Are you sure you want me to do that?" he asks, cocking one eyebrow, a mischeivous glint in his eye.

She squints at him. "I won't answer if I don't like it, you know. Besides, I'm gonna pick one for you, so be nice," she retorts, mimicking his expression.

He grins at her. "Alright. Give me a minute to think of something," he says as they walk into a rocky clearing around the base of the waterfall, a wide pool of blue water lying before them. The boy sets her down on a flat rock near the path, sitting down beside the young woman to catch his breath.

The girl pushes a strand of hair that had fallen in front of his eyes out of the way, smiling when he turns to look at her. He smiles back. "Okay. How about..._Sakura_?" he asks, watching for her reaction.

The girl looks surprised for a second, before she smiles again. "I like it--it's pretty. How did you come up with it?" she asks, tilting her head a little as she looks at him, careful not to move her neck too much.

The boy looks away for a moment, his cheeks reddening. Taking a deep breath, he turns back to her and says, "You...you smell like...cherry blossoms. And...that's...what that name means..."

The girl can't help it. Tears fill her eyes as she gazes at him. The boy looks alarmed. "Why...why are you crying?" he asks, reaching his hand toward her cheek. He stops halfway there, bringing his hand back down to his lap. The girl brings her hand around and takes his, sqeezing it gently. He blushes.

"That was just...really sweet," she says, letting go of his hand and wiping her tears away. The boy flexes his fingers, wondering why he misses the warmth from hers. He looks back up at her. "Ok...so I'll be Sakura," she says. Frowning a little, she nervously glances at the waterfall before looking back at him. "I'm afraid mine's not quite that, uh..._romantic_."

He pauses a moment before shrugging. "That's fine. It's only temporary--remember?"

"Ok," she says. "Then how about _Kiiru_?"

The boy tilts his head at her. "What does it mean?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

The girl lifts her hand to move another strand of hair that had fallen over his face. Gazing at him, she responds in almost a whisper. "Amber eyes."

Noticing that her fingers are resting against his cheek, the boy feels them growing warm. He stutters a little as he speaks. "That...that'll work," he says quietly. _And it's romantic enough..._ The girl smiles, slowly dropping her hand back to her lap.

"Well, nice to meet you,... Kiiru," she says, inclining her head toward him.

The boy does the same. "And you...Sakura."

Sakura and Kiiru stare at each other as the mist from the falls floats around them, and the roar of the water fills their ears.

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Did everyone like that? There'll be some action in the next chapter, and some suspense, but I wanted to give them some time to get to know each other w/o putting them in danger just yet. If anybody's wondering, I pronounce their names like this: Kiiru sounds like: key-e-rue; and Sakura sounds like: suh-cur-uh. The first and last a's sound like the u in "cut," while the u sounds like the ou in "you". Does that make sense? 


	4. Not The Only Ones

Chap 4 of Lost Souls. Hooray! Now, what was I gonna put in here?? **Disclaimer**: I don't own Inuyasha, Kagome, Sesshomaru, Kikyo, Kaede, Sota, Gramps, Kagome's mom, Naraku, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kilala, Rin, Kohaku, Jaken, Hojo, Eri, Yuka, Ayumi, Koga, Hakkaku, Ginta, Kagura, Kanna, Hakudoshi, Moryomaru...I wonder how many characters I can name before I have to go look them up?..._Mumbles to self... _Dozo! (Enjoy!)

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"I _said,_ I don't want any," the leader of the wolf-demon tribe growls," huffing at the woman again. _Why is she so pushy?_ he thinks, glaring at the priestess with the patch over one eye. The okami stares. _I wonder how she lost that..._

"It is not polite to stare, Koga," Kaede says, offerieng him the cup again. "Now, drink this. It is a potion to help your memory return."

Koga crosses his arms and sits down, leaning against a wall of the hut. "Hummphh! The monk said that mine and the little demon's memories would return eventually, so why bother to take anything?" he asks, glaring at the priestess.

_He doesn't trust me..._ Kaede thinks, setting the cup beside him and walking away from the demon. Approaching the entrance to the hut, the old woman turns back around to face him. "Koga. While we have seen indications that both your's and Shippo's memories will return in time, it would be better for everyone if you two... helped yourselves as much as possible. For one thing, your _entire_ memory may not come back for a long time--if at all. Also, one of you may have seen something when you...vanished...that may help us figure out where Kagome and Inuyasha have gone. We need your cooperation, demon. Please consider taking the potion," the priestess ends bluntly, pushing aside the flap covering the doorway and leaving the hut.

Koga stares after the woman for a few seconds before picking up the cup sitting beside him. He sniffs it, savoring the spicy aroma. _What the hell?_ he thinks before downing the contents in one gulp, licking his lips afterward. _Not bad..._

The wolf-demon sets the cup back down and crosses his arms over his chest, wondering when those two demons who smelled similar to him are coming back. _What did they say their names were? Hakkinta and Giku? No...Hakkaku and Ginta? And they said my name was Koga..._

The okami looks around the hut, growling as his patience starts to wear thin. He didn't like all this sitting around. Koga stands up and starts pacing back and forth across the hut, thinking about the priestesses' words. _She's probably right, though. I want to remember everything-- and the sooner, the better. _The wolf stops walking, his hand on the back of his head as he stares at the ceiling. _But...who're Inuyasha and Kagome?_

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As Kaede exits the hut, she sees Sango down on one knee in front of Shippo, who is trying to hide behind Kilala's small form. "Please drink it, Shippo. It'll help you remember us...," the slayer pleads, holding a small cup in front of the kitsune. The small demon shakes his head, clutching the nekomata's soft fur in his tiny paws. Sango sighs and turns to Ginta, who is leaning back against the side of the hut. "He just won't take it. Shippo doesn't trust any of us besides Kilala," she says, standing up as she sees Kaede.

"Will the two-tail drink some of it?" the wolf asks, raising a brow at the priestess.

Kaede understands what the wolf is asking. "Aye. Let Kilala have some. There are not any side effects for one who still has their memory," she says, taking the cup from Sango and slowly crouching down in front of the two demons. "What do you say, Kilala?"

The demon-cat offers the priestess a soft mew, walking forward a few steps and taking a sip of the potion. She turns to Shippo and mews again. The kitsune stares at her a few seconds before cautiously sliding his feet toward Kaede. Sniffing the potion, the fox-child reaches out and takes the cup, sipping at the brew slowly. He raises his eyes to the priestess.

"All of it," she says softly, offering Shippo a small smile. The fox narrows his green eyes at her. He looks back down at the brownish liquid, swirling it around the edges. Looking over at Kilala, the nekomata offers another him another mew, nodding her head slightly. Shippo takes a breath and gulps down the rest of the potion, holding the empty cup out to Kaede. The priestess takes it and smiles at the kitsune again before standing up. Shippo immediately goes back to Kilala, wrapping his arms around her neck.

"How long will it be before the potion starts working?" Ginta asks, noticing Hakkaku and Miroku walking across the clearing to the north of the village. The two of them had gone back to the battle site to search for clues.

"About a day," Kaede says, sighing. "The medicines must have time to reach the brain."

"So the earliest they'll start remembering things is tomorrow night," Sango moans, leaning back against the hut next to Ginta.

"Aye--if Koga has taken the potion. And hopefully he and Shippo can tell us something that will help us find Inuyasha and Kagome," the old miko replies, staring past the two boys approaching them. _Something_ was drawing her attention in that direction. But the feeling is faint--meaning, it is very far away...

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Sakura stands knee-deep in the pool at the bottom of the waterfall--her back to Kiiru. She's trying to wash off the wound on her neck, but is having some difficulty due to the fact that she can only use one arm. The gash on her leg was easy enough to clean, as the movement of the water washed most of the dirt and blood away, but unless Sakura wanted to sit down in the pool, it would take awhile to clean the wound on her shoulder. It takes the girl a few seconds to realize there's someone behind her. Turning, she sees Kiiru staring at her, a strange expression on his face.

"I think this'll go much faster if we work together," he says, reaching for her shirt. Sakura's eyes widen as he grabs the bottom, slowly pulling it up. Kiiru stops, watching for the girl's reaction before going any further.

Blushing, Sakura sighs and pulls her left arm out of her sleeve, lifting her shirt over her head. She grits her teeth and growls as they pull the shirt off of her injured shoulder. While Sakura washes the blood off of the garment, Kiiru works on getting her neck cleaned up, trying not to stare at her bra. _What is that? It makes...sense, but I don't think I've seen one of those before..._ Only now does he notice how different their clothing is.

"Sakura," he says, scooping more water over her shoulder. "Have you noticed...our clothes?"

She turns her body to look at him, wringing her blouse of excess water. Staring for a moment, she looks down at her skirt, frowning. "Uh...huh... Not a clue, Kiiru. Maybe...I grew up somewhere different from you?" she suggests, turning back to her blouse and opening it up. "Can you...?" she asks, handing the shirt to him.

Walking out of the water, Kiiru places the blouse on a rock to dry, before coming back to Sakura. When he returns, she starts removing his hoari, carefully maneuvering it around his injured arm, then works on his kosode. He grunts when she accidentally presses on the injury.

"Sorry," she whispers, pulling the undergarment the rest of the way off. While Kiiru works on getting the blood out of his two shirts, Sakura washes off the gash on his back, careful not to press on it again. Glancing up, she notices the beads he's wearing. "Wonder what those are for...," she says, pulling the necklace a little.

Kiiru tilts his head to look at the beads before turning to her. He shrugs. "Don't know. How about yours?" he asks, pointing at a small glass vial containing pinkish shards hanging between her breasts. The boy blushes, quickly dropping his hand and looking away from Sakura. He furiously continues washing off his haori.

"I don't know," she says, holding the pendant in the palm of her hand, the shards twinkling brightly at the girl. Sakura goes back to Kiiru's wound. "I guess we'll figure it out eventually," she whispers. The boy standing in front of her grunts, nodding his head a little.

When they finish cleaning off his wounds, Kiiru helps Sakura out of the water, laying his hoari and kosode beside her blouse. He stands there, not knowing what to do next. Sakura points to a small plant with pointed leaves growing away from the water, underneath some taller bushes, like the one she saw back beside the path. "I'm pretty sure that will help us deal with the pain--but I'm not sure how I know." Kiiru stares at her a second before walking over and reaching for the plant. Sakura frowns. _Something..._ "Wait!" she yells, remembering something important.

Kiiru stops, his hand inches from the plant's leaves. He turns back to Sakura, a confused expression on his face. "Don't...don't touch the leaves. They'll...your skin will get burned. _Burned?_ You'll get a rash that will burn...," she says vaguely, rubbing her temples in an attempt to remember..

Kiiru raises his eyebrows. "How do you know that?" he asks, his hand still hovering over the plant.

"I...just know," Sakura answers, looking up at him. "We don't need the leaves, anyway. We need the roots," she says, hobbling slowly toward Kiiru. The girl grits her teeth as pain shoots up her leg, but it's a little better now that the wound has been washed off.

Kiiru frowns at her as he grabs a stick lying nearby and chops off the top of the plant, digging up the roots afterward. "You don't need to be using that leg," he growls, standing up and walking back to her.

"I'll have to use it sometime. I can't rely on you to carry me around all the time," she says, taking the roots from him. Sakura frowns.

"What?" Kiiru asks, noticing her look.

"...Nothing. Me saying that...just sounded really...strange...," she answers, shaking her head a little. Kiiru stares at her. "Nevermind," she says after a moment, setting the roots down in a small indentation in the rock they had been sitting on earlier. She picks up a smaller rock--slightly flattened on one end--and begins crushing up the roots. Looking around, the girl points to some tall, reedy-looking plants growing near the water. "See those? Bring me some of the little brown seeds that have fallen from that grassy stuff."

Kiiru does as she asks, grabbing a handful of the beads and coming back to her. "Just throw about half of those on top of the roots," Sakura instructs, pressing down as hard as she can to mash the seeds as the boy drops them on top of the roots. He sets the extras off to the side.

Kiiru watches her a moment before interrupting. "Here, let me do that...," he says, reaching for the rock in her hand. Sakura moves it out of his range.

"No--I need you to get things--since I can't move around very well," she says, resuming her task.

Kiiru frowns at her a moment before conceding. _She does have a point... _"Okay--what next?" he asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

Sakura stands up and looks around, squinting her eyes as she scans the area. They stop on a waist high plant with a single base and several stalks--each stalk having several smaller compound leaves growing from their tips--growing a little ways back up the path. "Bring me several of those stalks," she says, pointing at the plant. Then, remembering the large-leafed tree she saw when they had woken up and seeing none near where they were now, she adds, "And...go back to where we woke up, and on the opposite side of the path, there's a purple, leafy tree. Bring me...," the girl stops to stare at his arm, then her leg, gauging how many she will need. "...about 10 good-sized leaves."

Kiiru nods, walking away from the girl and up the path. Sakura watches as he yanks the entire stalked plant out of the ground before disappearing around a bend. She shakes her head at him before continuing to crush the root and seed mixture.

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Sakura is making her way across the rocky beach, having seen something they need. Hanging from several trees are long strands of a mossy substance. _We can tie the leaves on with that..._ she thinks, slowly making her way over to them. Stopping to catch her breath, Sakura glances down, her eyes settling on tiny plants with yellow flowers growing in between the rocks. She smiles as she reaches down. _Excellent, I can mix these with..._

The girl freezes--having just seen a clawed foot underneath the bush growing beside her. Raising her eyes, Sakura watches in horror as a large scaled..._thing..._with enormous teeth and a long tail rises out of the forest in front of her. Falling backwards, Sakura screams as the grinning creature looms over her...

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Kiiru pulls off the last purple leaf, adding it to the pile sitting on the ground. Picking up the plant he had yanked out of the ground and putting it underneath his injured arm, the boy notices that he can move that hand more easily now. _Hrmm...wonder if that means my arm is healing..._

Kiiru shrugs, bending down to pick up the pile of leaves--grunting a little from the pain in his back. Standing up, the boy heads back down the path to the waterfall. He's about halfway there when he hears the scream. Dropping everything, Kiiru takes off as fast as he can, ignoring the protest from his aching muscles...

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"Well, well. What have we here?" the crocodile-demon asks, staring at the girl cowering beneath him. "I think...maybe a tasty morsel for my breakfast, perhaps?" he asks in a raspy voice, grinning. The wani laughs as he sees her feeble attempt to crawl away. "You'll never get anywhere with those injuries," the demon smirks, his eyes glittering from the sunlight reflected off the water. "Now, just be a good girl and go quietly," the crocodile says, lowering his head toward her...

The demon's teeth snap on empty air. "Uh?" he says, tilting his head sideways to look at the ground. The girl is gone. The crocodile sees movement out of the corner of his eye and turns his head in that direction. Standing several feet away is a boy with long silver hair, wearing red pants and an angry expression. He has pointed ears on the top of his head, and is holding the wani's breakfast in his arms. The demon sniffs. _Hanyou..._

"Filthy half-breed! That girl is mine!" he says, running toward the pair. Kiiru and Sakura are surprised--the creature is fast for his size.

Quickly dodging the demon's attack, Kiiru jumps to the trees surrounding the waterfall, using them to reach the opposite shore. He sets Sakura on a branch, stopping to get his breath. "What did he call me?" he asks as they see the crocodile enter the water and disappear.

"A...a half-breed? Why would he call you that?" she asks, watching the surface of the pond. There's too much interference from the waterfall to see the demon. "I don't think he's gone...," she says, holding on to Kiiru's injured arm. He doesn't even notice.

"Me either. Stay here," the boy says, jumping to the ground and tentatively running to the edge of the water.

_Where am I gonna go?_ The girl watches Kiiru nervously, starting as her bow slides a little ways down her arm. _I forgot I even had that..._she thinks, removing the bow and notching an arrow. _I hope I can shoot these..._

Kiiru is walking along the edge of the pond, staring at the water. _Where are you..._

"MOVE!" Sakura screams.

Kiiru doesn't hesitate, immediately dodging backwards as a gigantic mouth closes around the space he had just occupied. Using a tree as a launching pad, the boy propels himself upward, flying several feet above the crocodile before landing on it's back. He growls and bares his fangs, rushing forward with his claws extended, aiming for the creature's eyes. Kiiru doesn't see the tail coming from behind him...

* * *

How was that chap, guys? Little bit of suspense for ya. Hopefully. Ok...uh, that's all for now! 


	5. Intro To Powers

Hey ya'll! I had so much fun writing this chap, that I think I'm gonna do another one tomorrow. I hope everyone likes it. It's not that long, but I wanted to get it up, so...whatever. Disclaimer: I don't own Inu. :(

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"Look out!" Sakura screams, as the crocodile's tail comes flying at Kiiru. But she's too late. The wani sideswipes the boy, sending him flying halfway across the pond, disappearing beneath the water's surface.

Sakura stares at the point where he vanished, oblivious to the creature still advancing beneath her. _He...he can't...be...gone..._ she thinks, tears starting to form in her dark eyes. _I..._

The tree Sakura's in starts to shake, jolting her back to the problem approaching from the ground. Glaring at the crocodile, the girl pulls back on her bowstring. _This is for Kiiru..._ she thinks, aiming for the wani's head. The demon rears up slightly, bringing his front feet down and shaking the ground so much that several smaller trees topple over.

The bowstring slips out of Sakura's hand as she loses her balance on the limb--falling into some bushes beneath the tree. Her arrow--which has somehow become surrounded by a blue light--goes astray, completely missing the crocodile's head, but--miraculously--hitting his tail.

Sakura scrambles out of the bush she landed in, trying to ignore the blinding pain in her leg and arm as she hobbles away from the demon screaming behind her. The part of his tail where the arrow hit has disintegrated--leaving him with only a stump.

The wani growls loudly, finally overcoming his pain enough to focus on finding the girl. _She can't have gotten far..._ He tells himself, sniffing in the direction he had last seen her. An evil grin replaces his grimace as the demon picks up the scent of her blood. _Mmmm...they taste even better when they're tenderized..._

The crocodile makes his way through the underbrush, following Sakura's trail of blood. It leads him to the base of a large tree, where a den of some sort had previously been dug between it's large roots. The demon grins again as he approaches the hollow, reaching one long claw towards the girl trapped inside...

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Kiiru is sinking deeper into the water, his chest and stomach blinding him with pain. The light above him is slowing being consumed by darkness; his thoughts are becoming fuzzy. It would be so much easier to just drift down...down...

The boy jerks--suddenly alert--as an image of Sakura flashes through his mind. _Sakura..._

Kiiru can't leave her to the creature. Even if she can use her arrows, she'll never be able to outrun him. Sakura needs him. He has to _protect_ her.

As he thinks this, the sword at Kiiru's side pulses. The boy instinctively grabs the hilt, drawing the weapon from its sheath. He watches in amazement as it transforms, before quickly swimming to the surface.

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Sakura's heart is pounding in her chest. She's fighting the urge to scream--but only just. The wani--frustrated now because he can't reach the girl--is growling and scratching at the dirt beneath the tree with his claws, trying to make the hole bigger. There's not enough room for Sakura to draw her bow. She thought about simply stabbing one of her arrows into the wani's arms, but they're moving too fast. The girl has backed away as far as she can from the demon, but Sakura knows it's only a matter of time until he widens the hole enough to reach her. She rocks back and forth, her arms around her knees as tears slowly fill her eyes.

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"Get away from her, ugly!" Kiiru yells as he jumps out of the trees he had raced across, flying toward the crocodile-demon, his sword angled downward. The wani turns just in time to see the hanyou's weapon slash through his right shoulder. He screams in agony, automatically whipping his tail around to knock his opponent away. But Kiiru is ready this time.

The boy backflips over the demon's shortened tail, briefly wondering what happened to it. As he lands, Kiiru begins to run toward the tree where Sakura is hiding. The crocodile instantly swings his head around, jaws gaping. Kiiru bends his knees, pivoting on his right foot and propelling himself out of the way as the jaws snap shut, narrowly missing his right arm and sword.

Kiiru dodges the wani's tail again as it comes his way, jumping over it and landing briefly on Sakura's tree before launching himself back at the crocodile, who is now roaring his frustration at not catching the boy.

Raising the sword above his head, Kiiru takes advantage of the demon's lapse in concentration and slices through the crocodile's other shoulder, bounding away with a grin as he hears the demon scream again.

He runs back toward the waterfall, hoping to draw the demon away from Sakura. Glancing behind him, Kiiru sees the wani approaching fast, despite his injuries. The boy grins again, jumping into a tree and using the branches to traverse the edge of the pond.

The demon takes to the water the second he nears the shore, shortening the distance between himself and the hanyou and reaching the far side before the boy. Springing out of the water, the wani smashes into the tree Kiiru is aiming for, rattling the branches so that the boy can't get his footing.

Kiiru crashes into the bushes underneath and is up almost as soon as he lands, but the crocodile is already swinging one huge claw in the hanyou's direction. He catches the boy in his sword arm and hears a scream of pain as Kiiru goes flying back up the rocky beach, rolling over several times before sliding to a stop, the sword lying useless behind him.

Gasping, Kiiru slowly stands up and clutches his right arm with his left, his hand hanging uselessly at his side. He tries to back up as the wani approaches, but a sharp pain in his back brings him back to his knees. Glaring up at the demon, Kiiru is trying to think of a way out of this even as the crocodile rears his head back for the final strike--his huge jaws gaping.

A sudden whistling noise approaches Kiiru from behind, passing directly above his head. He sees the demon's eyes widen in shock as the arrow hits him in the chest, a blue light engulfing the demon as he disintegrates into thousands of pieces. Kiiru stares for a moment before turning his head to see Sakura standing at the tree line, holding her bow in one hand while using the other to steady herself against a tree. She smiles at him before slowly walking towards the boy. Kiiru smiles briefly before collapsing to the ground, hearing Sakura's voice echo around the cove. "KIIRU!"

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Alright? Gonna try to update again tomorrow. :) 


	6. Friends Or Foes?

Here's chap 6. See? I said I'd update again. Um...ok. Dozo[Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. :(

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"Kiiru! Are you okay?! Kiiru?!" Sakura yells, hobbling over the shore as fast as she can, gritting her teeth against the pain from her injuries. She falls a couple of times before she reaches him, kneeling beside the boy and pulling him into her lap. Sakura hovers over him, cradling his head in her arms as tears spill down her cheeks.

"Phugcourna, yhuur skwisheen nee," he mumbles, startling the girl. She jerks her arms away from him, placing them against her chest, a small yelp escaping her lips. She stares at him. Kiiru looks up at her, slightly amused. "You didn't think a few lucky hits were gonna beat me-did you?" he asks, immediately breaking down into a coughing fit. Sakura looks at his torso, gasping as she see the huge bruise forming on his chest.

Wrapping her arms around his head again, Sakura whispers into his hair, tears still wetting her cheeks. "Thank you, Kiiru. You saved my life."

The boy is glad she can't see his face, which is quickly gaining a pinkish tint. "I didn't do anything. You're the one who shot him with the arrow," he mumbles, looking down at his right arm. It's bent at a strange angle and is dripping blood. Kiiru is starting to feel light-headed.

"Maybe, but you drew him away from the tree. A few seconds later and I...," Sakura breaks off, shuddering. "And you'd already saved me from him once--remember? I...,"

"Ssshhhh...," Kiiru hisses, his ears swiveling in different directions. "We're surrounded."

"Su...surrounded?" Sakura whispers, her eyes darting around them. She doesn't see anything. "Wh...," she starts to ask, as a half dozen men walk out of the trees in front of them. Hearing a twig snap behind her, the girl turns her head slightly to see more men spreading out behind them. Her heart rate picks up--they're all carrying clubs, bows, an assortment of farming tools, and even a few battered-looking swords.

Sakura and Kiiru don't move--not yet sure what these newcomers want. They quickly find out.

"Back away from the demon, Miss, and we'll finish him off quick," a dark-haired man says, walking toward the pair, his bow and arrow raised at Kiiru.

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"Wh...what?" Sakura squeaks, her arms unconsciously tightening around Kiiru's neck. She feels a low growl from the boy reverberate through her arms. "Why...why would you want to kill him?" she asks, staring wide-eyed at the men standing before them.

The man who had spoken looks confused by her question. He lowers his bow slightly. "Because he's a demon, Miss. Well--part demon, anyway, from the looks of him. Now why don't you just let him go--this won't take but a second...," he says, taking aim at the half-demon.

Sakura continues to stare at the man, not quite sure what's happening. _So...Kiiru's part demon? _Her gaze flickers down to his ears. _So that's how he has the ears...and the hair... But...he isn't going to hurt them. Especially since he's injured. Why...do they want to kill Kiiru? Because he's a demon? That's not a reason! _she thinks, her surprise turning to a anger. Sakura narrows her eyes and tightens her grip on Kiiru even more, pulling him closer and shielding him slightly from the man. Kiiru, who had been emitting a low growl for the past minute, pauses as he feels Sakura draw him closer to her. He manages to hide the grin trying to escape his lips.

"No," Sakura says firmly, glaring at the dark-haired man. "So what if he's a demon? That's not a good enough reason to want to kill him. And he hasn't hurt any of you, so why don't you men just go on about your business and we'll do the same," she says, surprising the whole group--even Kiiru--by her boldness.

The strange men all stand there--staring at the girl before them with their mouths open. Only the witch in their village was ever that forward. This girl must hold some sort of powerful position. That, or she simply speaks her mind, no matter the consequences. Or maybe both.

None of the men know what to do. They had assumed the girl would allow the demon to be killed. The men exchange puzzled looks, each hoping another would make a decision. It seemed to Kiiru and Sakura that none of the men surrounding them was actually in charge. Sakura opens her mouth to say something else, when yet another man comes walking out of the forest, shouting at the assembled group.

"What's going on here? Haven't you..." he stops, seeing his men idling around the girl and the demon, their weapons hanging by their sides. He stares for a moment, his eyes goggling at the fact that the girl seems to be protecting the half-demon. The man frowns. He hadn't counted on this. It rarely happened anymore. _Grandmother will want to know... _

The man sighs, placing his fingers to his temples and rubbing them for a minute, mumbling something about _idiots_ and _several years_ under his breathHe looks up. "Take them to the village--clean them up. Give them some clean clothes and food, if they wish. Do not harm them," he tells the man who had aimed an arrow at Kiiru. "I'll leave it to you, Chushin, to decide who does what. I must go speak with Grandmother about this. _Do not_ harm them," he repeats, walking around the edge of the pond. After a few minutes they see him disappear behind the waterfall.

Sakura and Kiiru stare, wondering what just happened. The man with the bow--Chushin-- replaces his arrow in its quiver and slings the bow over his back. He tentatively walks toward the pair lying on the ground. "Well, you heard the man. We're to take you back to the village," he says, stooping to pick up Kiiru's sword. The half-demon growls at the man, who stops his hand inches from the hilt and stares at the boy with wide eyes.

"Don't touch it," Kiiru growls, trying to sit up. A wimper of pain escapes his throat as he falls back against Sakura, breathing hard. She leans down and whispers something in his ear, pushing his bangs out of his eyes. He narrows them at the man before nodding, after which Sakura holds out her hand.

Chushin hesitates a moment before picking up the sword, flipping it and handing it hilt-first to the girl, who resheathes it onto Kiiru's hip. She opens her mouth to ask Chushin something, but Kiiru growls to get her attention. Frowning in confusion, Sakura leans her head down so he can whisper to her, an annoyed expression crossing her face. She narrows her eyes and turns her head to answer him, hissing in his ear. Kiiru grimaces, flattening his ears, then sighs, blushing a little. Sakura smiles at the men. "So, how are we going to do this?"

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"Is he gonna be alright?" Sakura asks. She's being carried by one of Chushin's men, Kiiru beside her on the back of another, passed out. Worry is etched across her face.

"He's lost a lot of blood, Miss," Chushin says, walking in front of the small procession. Three of the men had stayed behind as sentries; two more carried her bow and quiver, Kiiru's sword, and their shirts. Kiiru wouldn't let anyone near Sakura to help her with hers, and his arm--being broken--would have been more trouble than it was worth. The sword proved too awkward to walk with while carrying the half-demon, so another man was holding it.

Sakura frowns at the back of his head. "That's not what I asked."

Chushin turns to look at her, raising one brow. He gives her a small grin before facing forward again. "He should be fine. We got that arm wrapped--temporarily, at least--so his body can focus on repairing itself instead of replacing his blood. Demons have an amazing ability to heal--much better than humans. You'd be surprised what injuries they can take and still not be killed." Sakura nods, acting as if she knows this already. _For now, it's better if they don't know that Kiiru and I don't remember anything..._

Glancing over at the half-demon, she reaches over and pushes his bangs off his face before sliding her hand down his arm and taking his hand. She leans her head on the shoulder of the man carrying her, and watches the hanyou as they make their way to the village.

Kiiru had stayed awake long enough to walk--slowly--through a hidden entrance behind the waterfall. Chushin had said that their village was located about a half-hour's walk through the mountain, where it opened up to reveal a secluded valley. The crocodile demon was too large to fit through the opening, but it also blocked the only exit out of the valley. Sakura had told them that wasn't smart--only having one way out--to which Chushin replied that they were digging a second entrance, but it was taking longer than they thought.

"How did you two defeat the wani, anyway?" Chushin asks. "Our sentinels saw you and the half-demon when you first came to the waterfall, but were content to leave the two of you alone unless one of you approached the entrance. The idiots forgot about the crocodile until you screamed, when they ran for reinforcements. We arrived as the crocodile, uh, _disappeared_ and you ran to the hanyou." The dark-haired man turns to Sakura, noticing her hand linked to the boy's. A puzzled expression crosses his face before he speaks again. "Sorry, for the uh..._confusion_, but demons that wander into this area are normally threats to us. Especially those of his size...," he says, nodding his head at Kiiru. "...who could make it through this entrance." Chushin's face takes on a sorrowful look, but Sakura is still watching Kiiru, and doesn't notice. "It's for our own survival, you know. We can't take any chances on an enemy finding the village."

Sakura is silent for a moment, the rhythm of the man carrying her lulling the girl into a daze. She hasn't realized how tired she was until now. "Kiiru injured the crocodile, distracting him and leading him away from me. I followed as soon as they left, and saw the demon swat Kiiru across the beach. I released an arrow at the wani--it hit him in the chest. He sort of...exploded into lots of tiny pieces," she finishes, sighing at all that's happened in the past few hours. The sun was barely at midday when they entered the tunnel. Sakura yawns before speaking again. "Why would you assume we were enemies? We didn't even notice you until you walked out of the forest."

Chushin frowns slightly. _I'll have to ask about that arrow later... _He sighs. "The boy would have noticed--the men had been all over that beach. He would have smelled us eventually, and followed the scent to the waterfall. We couldn't allow that, since the two of you had just taken care of a demon that fifty of our own could not kill. We thought we could handle you, but the hanyou would have been difficult--even injured, as he was. That was why we thought to just take care of him as quickly as possible, and then bring you back here. We didn't plan on you being so protective of him. That is why we are now taking you to the village. Maru knew that Grandmother--the villages' witch--would want to see you." Chushin smiles. "We do not often see mates such as you."

Sakura's eyes shoot open. _Mates?!_ _Even with my memory gone, I know what that means. Why does he think Kiiru and I are mates? _Keeping her voice as steady as possible, she asks, "Mates? Why do you think that?" trying to put a hint of playfulness in her voice. It seems to have worked.

Chushin grins at the girl. "Your demeanor. Your protectiveness--both of you. Normally each of you would bear a mark of some sort, but perhaps you haven't gotten to the actual ceremony yet. It's obvious though, from the way you two interract." Sakura looks at him a moment before blushing and looking back at Kiiru. Chushin laughs lightly and faces forward again.

Sakura takes deep breaths, wondering how anyone could possibly think she and Kiiru were mates. They'd only known each other since this morning! Sighing, Sakura allows the slow beat of the men walking to lull her into exhaustion. Fighting it for a moment, she whispers to Chushin, "Maru?"

"Maruhanabachi--the man you met earlier; Maru, for short. The witch of our village is his grandmother," Sakura hears him say as she drifts into a deep sleep.

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Sakura wakes up, taking a moment to adjust to the darkness. She frowns. _I can't have slept for that long--can I?_ Tilting her head to the side, the girl sees that she's in a small, round hut with two windows and a covered door cut into it. A small fire is burning in a hole in the ground at her feet, a bowl sitting in the middle of it. A wooden table is on her left, small plants and packages lying on top of it. Looking the other way, she sees Kiiru lying on a mat a few feet away, dressed in long, dark blue robes with a lighter blue trim around the collar, sleeves, and hems of the legs. A darker blue ribbon has been woven into all the trim. From what she can see, he's been cleaned up, and all his injuries have been looked over. Someone even brushed his hair.

Sakura looks down at herself and sees that the village has also taken care of her. She's wearing robes that match Kiiru's, only with the colors reversed. Hers are light blue with a dark trim, and light ribbon inside the trim. Lifting up a bit, Sakura pulls the robe off her shoulder, seeing it wrapped snugly in clean bandages. As she replaces it, a voice startles her and she jumps.

"Hey, beautiful," Kiiru says, turning his head to smile at her. Sakura smiles back, a light blush crossing her cheeks. He stares at the girl for a moment before speaking again. "So, what's all this talk about mates?" he asks, raising a brow at her. She gapes at him, reddening even more.

"H..how..."

"You talk in your sleep," he says, grinning as Sakura hides behind her sleeves.

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Chushin means "center," or "heart," and Maruhanabachi means "bumblebee," if you guys wanted to know. The robes are like what Kikyo or Kaede wears, except different colors. It's what Inu wears too, but he closes the legs around his ankles. I like the long, flowy look. I think it looks elegant, and I need to go to sleep now. :) 


	7. In The Village

Um...I don't think I have anything to say before this one...Inu isn't my doggy...uh...dozo! Oh-I'm gonna put chap titles in, but I need some help, so can ya'll please give me some ideas for titles? I have an idea for this one, and one for the last, but the first five I haven't thought of yet. :)

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"Ugh. Do I really?" Sakura asks, dropping her sleeve a little to stare at Kiiru through her fingers. He nods, chuckling at the girl's embarrassment as she puts her head in her hands.

"It's kinda cute, actually," the boy says, sitting up and sliding over to her. Kiiru takes one of her hands in his when she doesn't look up. "So...what's this about us being mates?" he asks again.

Sakura lifts her head and shifts her eyes to the half-demon, but doesn't look at him fully. She sighs. "When you were unconscious, Chushin said we acted like we were mates. I...didn't tell him otherwise," she says softly, staring at her hand resting comfortably in his. The girl hides the smile forming on her lips.

"Well...do we tell them we're not...or, that we don't know... or, pretend that we are?" Kiiru asks.

Sakura looks up at him, surprise evident on her face. "What? Why pretend to be mates?" she says, a hint of panic in her voice.

Kiiru smiles, squeezing her hand before letting it go and standing up. He walks to the flap hanging over the door and peeks out. "Because, certain questions can be avoided if these people think we're together. Also, I'm pretty sure that our...uh, _attendants_, aren't taken yet. The girls were giving me some...interesting looks, and the guys were almost drooling over you." Kiiru frowns as he stares out the doorway at the village. He didn't like the thought of other guys staring at Sakura, but he didn't know why it bothered him so much. He sighs and turns back to the girl. "The only, uh..._drawback_, is that we'd probably have to share a hut for awhile," he says, walking over to the table to investigate.

The half-demon sees a pile of bloodied cloths on one edge, next to a bowl containing red-tinted water. There's also a small pile of the black seeds Sakura had asked him to get that morning, two kinds of leaves, some roots, a mortar and pestle with a pasty substance still in the bottom, and a few clean cloths and bandages. Four or five brown wrappings are set off to the side. Noticing that Sakura hasn't responded to his comment, he turns around to look at her.

The girl is staring at the pot over the fire, an unfocused look in her eyes--though she's aware of Kiiru's movements. Slowly she says, "That's...not the only drawback--if sleeping in the same hut is really a problem." Kiiru raises his eyebrows but Sakura continues before he can say anything. "How are we gonna pull off pretending to know everything about _each other_, when we don't know anything about _ourselves_?" she says, looking up at him.

The corners of Kiiru's mouth turn down as he ponders Sakura's question. The girl simply watches the half-demon until he takes a few steps toward her and squats down, his hands on the floor between his feet. Sakura stares at him, a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. _I bet I can guess what kind of demon he is..._ She glances quickly at the furred ears perched on top of the boy's head.

Kiiru squints at the girl. "What?"

Sakura looks back at his golden eyes, watching the light from the fire reflected in them. She smiles. "Nothing. I just think I know what kind of demon your...one of your parents was."

Kiiru gives her a interested look. "Oh, really?" Sakura nods and continues to simply stare at him, an amused grin on her lips. "Well, are you gonna tell me?" Kiiru asks, getting impatient. The girl smiles again and looks around the hut before responding.

"Isn't it strange how anything specific to ourselves or our past is conveniently missing from our memory? But things that anyone might know--such as which plants can be used medicinally, or what a mate is, or...what animal a dog is, can be easily recalled?" she asks, turning back to the half-demon.

Kiiru glares at the girl for a few seconds, until her words sink in. "Dog?" he asks, astounded. The boy closes his eyes as an image of a giant, furry..._something..._flashes through his mind. He tries to hold on to it, but the form disappears as soon as it had come. Kiiru shakes his head and looks up at Sakura, who is frowning at him.

"What's wrong?" she asks, pushing his bangs aside so she can see his eyes. She briefly wonders why she keeps doing that and why the boy doesn't seem to mind.

"I...just saw something," Kiiru states, shutting his eyes tightly in concentration. "It...I don't know what it was. It...was just big...and fluffy. Or...furry." He looks back at the girl. "It might've been a cloud or part of a set of robes, for all I know," the boy says, sitting down cross-legged next to Sakura. She looks at him skeptically.

"I doubt that. You looked...startled...after you said 'dog.' It's probably some part of your memory trying to come back, but 'big' and 'fluffy' or 'fuzzy' isn't a lot to go on." The girl sighs, giving the half-demon an encouraging smile. "I guess we'll just have to remember this and maybe we can link it to something else later on."

Kiiru nods, his arms crossed--a slight frown on his face. "I...guess." The pair sit in silence for a minute before he says, "So...dog-demon?" while silently bracing himself in case another image should come to mind. The boy feels a small pang of disappointment when one doesn't.

Sakura gives him a smile and nods. "Uh-huh. Because of the way you sat down a few minutes ago. And because of your ears, eyes, fangs, claws... I bet you have a pretty good sense of smell, too," she says, touching her finger lightly to the tip of his nose. Kiiru crosses his eyes to watch her hand, snorting and squinting at her when she takes it away. "I...guess you could be...uh...wolf. Or maybe...fox...," Sakura says, frowning slightly, "...but neither one of those seems to fit...exactly." The girl tilts her head, looking at the half-demon with a curious expression. "You think that's why the crocodile called you a half-breed? Because you're part demon and part...human--I'm assuming?"

Kiiru frowns, thinking about the demon they had destroyed. "I...suppose so. But it doesn't sound very nice--does it?" he asks, thinking of the wani's use of the word 'filthy,' and the hateful way the demon had said the words. "Let's...not use that word until we find out for sure what it means--ok?"

Sakura nods once in agreement. "What were we talking about again? I think we've strayed from the original topic," she says, frowning in an attempt to remember.

"Mates," Kiiru says absentmindedly. He's trying to decide how he feels about being half dog. _I...didn't seem bothered by it before Sakura said something, so why should I worry about it now?_ He shrugs to himself and looks back to the girl. "So...yes or no. Pretend to be mates or not?" he asks, smirking a little.

Sakura squints at him before answering. "Again--we don't know anything about ourselves. How can we convince the villagers that we're together? And why? What kind of questions can be avoided?" she asks, drawing one leg closer to her body in an attempt to get in a more comfortable position. Her other leg is bandaged and proves more difficult to maneuver. She finally settles for leaving it bent slightly at the knee.

Kiiru watches the girl's movements without commenting, his eyes flickering to the grimace on her face as she bends her wounded leg. He resists the urge to reach out and comfort her. _Although...if we're gonna convince others..._ Grinning to himself, Kiiru extends one hand and grabs Sakura's arm, pulling her into his lap and wrapping his arms around her. She gasps.

"Wh...what are you doing, Kiiru?" the girl asks nervously.

He chuckles. "Practicing?" he says quietly.

"You seem to be set on us doing this," the girl says playfully, turning her head to look at him.

Kiiru smiles down at her, noting the flecks of green in her dark chocolate eyes. He's about to answer her when the flap to the hut is suddenly thrust aside and Maru strides in. The man stops with one foot in the air, a shocked and embarrassed expression crossing his face as the pair sitting on the floor look up.

"Uh...so sorry...didn't mean to disturb," Maru says hastily, slowly trying to back out of the hut--his hands raised in apology. He's lifted the flap again before their words reach him.

"No...we weren't..."

"It's not what it..."

"You weren't interrupting..."

"You don't have to..."

Maru pauses and looks down at the half-demon and the dark-haired girl, who are now sitting side-by-side on her mat, a light blush creeping across their cheeks. He looks at them curiously, wondering why they should be embarrassed when he was the one who walked in unannounced. _I should have known better; Chushin told me they were likely to be mates. What was I thinking--barging in like that? _

The man turns to face them, standing up straight. He's tall--about the same height as the half-demon, but not as broad. He's thin, but not skinny, and looks to be a few years older than Kiiru and Sakura. His dark brown hair is grown out and hangs just pass his chin, and there's a few days worth of stubble on his cheeks. He's wearing a forest green tunic with long sleeves and a light-colored pair of breeches that hang loosely about his legs. A pair of woven sandals are on his feet. He's staring at them with emerald eyes a shade darker than his clothing. He bows. "Again...I'm sorry for intruding," Maru says politely, waiting until they speak before standing up again.

"It's alright," Sakura says quietly. "We weren't..."

"It's none of my business, Miss," Maru says, interrupting her. "I will knock and wait for permission before entering again."

Sakura blanches and looks at Kiiru, frowning as she realizes he's trying to hide a grin. She narrows her eyes at him, but the half-demon is refusing to look at her. She turns back to Maru. "Th...thank-you," she says politely, feeling her cheeks warm-up.

The man inclines his head before speaking. "Grandmother wishes to meet with you. Have you eaten?" he asks, waving his hand vaguely in the direction of the fire. Sakura and Kiiru shake their heads.

"We...didn't know if we could," Kiiru says, glancing back at the pot. His stomach growls. Kiiru ignores it.

"Mizu was supposed to wait on you. I'll have to have a talk with that boy," Maru says, frowning. "He's probably off playing with his friends again--even though he's got responsibilities."

Sakura and Kiiru exchange confused looks. "Who's Mizu?" Sakura asks.

Maru looks back to her, startled out of his reverie. "Huh? Oh--Mizu is my younger brother. He's a little younger than you. He was supposed to oversee your care when you were brought into the village, but apparently he had other ideas...," the man says, frowning again.

"But...we _were_ taken care of...," Sakura says, pushing her haori down a little to reveal her bandaged shoulder.

Maru gives them a wry grimace. "That would be Mirai's work--our sister. She's only ten, but she takes on much more responsibility than Mizu. He probably promised her something if she took over for him...," he says, scowling. After a minute Maru seems to come back to himself and straightens up. "I'll ask Mirai to bring you something to eat with, and your clothes. We had them washed," he says, upon noticing the pair's confused looks. "And your weapons, also. Grandmother wanted to, uh..._test _them, before letting you walk around the village. That sword is quite amazing," Maru states, looking at Kiiru with something close to reverence. The boy stares at him a few seconds before simply nodding. "Once you've eaten, the two of you will visit Grandmother's hut. Mirai should be along shortly," Maru says, bowing as he pushes the flap aside and leaves the hut.

Sakura and Kiiru sit in silence for several minutes before the girl asks, "What about your sword?"

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Mirai is small for her age--barely coming to Sakura's elbow. She has long dark hair pulled into two low pigtails, and a smattering of freckles on her cheeks and across her nose. She's wearing a long pink robe with white cherry blossoms on it, and hasn't stopped smiling at Kiiru since she entered the hut. "Here you go mister," she says, handing the boy a bowl of the stew that had been simmering over the fire. He takes the food from her and opens his mouth to say 'thank you,' but the girl is looking over his head, her eyes following his ears. He swivels them toward the door as some people yell outside, making the small girl gasp and start giggling loudly behind her hands as she runs from the hut, mumbling something about a 'cute doggy' behind her laughs.

"That was sweet, Kiiru," Sakura says, spooning some of the stew into her mouth. She glances at his ears, which he swivels in her direction, making the older girl choke on her food.

"Are you alright?" he asks, setting his bowl down and sliding from his mat over to hers to pat her on the back.

Sakura puts her bowl down and waves one hand at him while she coughs. "I...I'm fine," she splutters, looking up at him with watery eyes.

"Are they that interesting?" he asks, reaching a hand up to pull gently on his ear. _I don't get it...why are my ears that fascinating?_

Sakura looks at him through narrowed eyes as she gets her breathing back to normal. "Yes," she says finally, picking up her bowl again.

Kiiru is surprised at her bluntness. "But...why?" he asks, reaching over to his mat to retrieve his own bowl. He turns back to Sakura and notices her staring again, a strange look in her eyes. He frowns. "And why do you keep looking at them like that?"

The girl seems to come to her senses and starts shoveling food into her mouth, a blush crawling across her cheeks. It takes her several minutes to respond. "Because...I don't know. I guess because humans don't have ears like that...," she says vaguely. The girl lifts one of her hands toward his head before she realizes what she's doing and jerks it back down again, looking away from the half-demon.

Kiiru regards her with narrowed eyes before setting down his bowl and taking her free hand in one of his. She turns her head to look at him, her eyes going wide as he lifts her arm and wraps her fingers around one of his ears. He gives her a small smile as she rubs the tip and edges, closing his eyes for a second when she reaches the base. "So?" he says, grinning widely as he opens his eyes.

"They're...so soft...," she whispers, her lips parted slightly in wonder. Sakura brings her eyes down to his as she lets her fingers fall, grazing Kiiru's cheek on the way back to her lap. "Th...thank you, Kiiru," she says, looking down at the empty bowl in her hands. He continues to grin at her, watching the blush creeping up her cheeks again.

**Knock, knock. **

"Come in," Kiiru says, a hint of annoyance in his voice. Sakura glances at him quickly before looking up at Maru.

"Are you two ready?" he asks, reaching out for their empty bowls. Kiiru turns back to Sakura and raises his brow. She nods, reaching for the hand he's offering to help her stand. They follow Maru as he exits the hut.

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"People are staring," Sakura whispers, edging closer to Kiiru as they walk. She's limping a little, but her leg's been wrapped well enough that she can use it for short periods. He moves his arm sideways and grabs her hand, squeezing it gently.

"They're all looking at me, though," he says, his breath catching in his throat when Sakura slides her fingers through his. She looks up at him.

"They all wanna touch your ears," she says, giggling. The half-demon smiles and looks around at the people watching them.

Most of the villagers look healthy and content--a few of the men having strained expressions. Most appear to be farmers, though some have other jobs: a blacksmith, a tanner, a butcher. There's a small group of children running between the huts, oblivious to the newcomers. The adults have expressions of curiosity on their faces--mostly. A few older men and women, though, are scowling at the pair making their way past them. Kiiru glances at them, wondering at their animosity.

"I don't think they like me," he says to Sakura, who squeezes his hand. She opens her mouth to say something, but stops walking instead, her eyes goggling out of their sockets. "What?" he asks, diverting his attention from a toddler pointing at him from his mother's arms while the woman blushes and tries to grab his hand. Kiiru follows Sakura's gaze and gasps as his eyes land on a tall woman with long, dark red hair, pulled high in a ponytail. She's wearing a white robe, cut off at the knees and shoulders, a black sash cutting diagonally across the torso. Her feet are bare, she has pointed ears, and a naginata is strapped across her back. Her very light blue eyes are boring into the half-demon's. She has an amused grin on her lips.

Kiiru feels Sakura's hand tighten on his fingers. He looks down at her, unaware that he had been staring at the woman, his mouth open slightly. She's frowning at him. "Come on," she murmurs, pulling his hand as she begins walking again. Kiiru follows, glancing up to the place where the strange woman was standing. She's gone.

* * *

I think that's good for now. I'll leave ya'll wondering who the woman was. Obviously she's a demon, but why is she in the village, etc? Oh--I forgot to mention in the last chap, Chushin is taller than Sakura--but still not as tall as Kiiru. (I think he's 6 ft, while she's 5'6' or 5'7'.) He's broad and muscular, like a lineman in football. He's got dark blue eyes and light brown hair with a few streaks of gray just beginning to show b/c he's in his late thirties, or so. It's just long enough to pull back in a ponytail (like Miroku's). I didn't even think to tell you what the other people looked like in the last chap. I imagine they're all just faceless blobs with arms and legs right now. The men and women (sentries, farmers, villagers, etc.) are wearing an assortment of tunics, haori's, hakamas, robes, etc.--whatever, except that the sentries also have on some light armor (leather or thin metal). Hair and eye color varies, as does height and breadth. Just--you know--normal unspecified people. Uh...there was something else I was supposed to say, but I forgot. Maybe I'll remember before the next chap... 


	8. At Grandmother's

Ugh. This is the trouble with writing more than one story at once: you have to get in the right 'mood' for each story. And it's hard to switch that every couple of days. Anyways, I didn't remember what I was going to say at the end of the last chap, but maybe it'll come to me later...

* * *

"What's the matter?" Kiiru asks Sakura, as they follow Maru past the last of the huts and out of the village. Kiiru wonders where they're going, but he can see smoke rising a little distance away. _Grandmother must live there... _Sakura had been ignoring him for the past few minutes, and she was no longer holding onto his fingers; they were lying limp between his.

"Nothing," Sakura says shortly. She withdraws her fingers from the half-demon's without looking at him, and watches a pair of doves fly overhead. Kiiru's ears droop.

"Obviously it's not nothing," he whispers. Sakura turns her head to glare at him.

"Drop it," she hisses, looking away from him again. The half-demon stops walking and stares in astonishment. Sakura stops a few seconds later and turns back around. Maru keeps walking, oblivious to the arguing pair behind him. The girl looks at Kiiru sadly. "Just... nevermind," she says quietly, staring at the ground.

Kiiru watches her for a few seconds before it dawns on him what's wrong. _Idiot! I was staring at that other woman...was she a woman? _Kiiru shakes his head to rid himself of her image and walks up to Sakura, placing one hand beneath her chin to lift her head. Her eyes are glassy. Kiiru lets a faint smile play across his lips.

"I think someone _does_ want to be my mate," he whispers, raising one brow at the girl. Sakura's eyes go wide as a blush quickly tints her cheeks, and she breaks away from the boy's grasp, trying to cross her arms. She settles for holding her right arm with her left hand, as her shoulder is still injured.

"I do not," she replies, looking at the ground. Kiiru grins.

"Did I say it was you?" he asks playfully. Sakura looks up at him and glares again before huffing and walking in the direction Maru had been headed. The man has disappeared around a bend in the dirt path, and still hadn't noticed that he'd lost his charges.

Kiiru laughs and catches up to her in a few quick strides. He walks in front of the girl and holds out his hands to stop her when she tries to walk past him. Sakura ducks under his arms and tries to quicken her pace, but she still can't move very fast because of her leg. Kiiru stares--awestruck--at the empty space in front of him before swinging his good arm around and grabbing Sakura's, pulling the girl to him, his other arm behind her back. She looks at him with wide eyes, their faces only inches apart, her hands pressed against his chest. Sakura can feel her heart speed up as she stares into the half-demon's golden eyes.

_Why do I feel like this around him? _Sakura can feel herself relaxing against Kiiru. Another smile is playing around his lips. The girl belatedly realizes that she's staring at them. He grins wider, revealing pearly fangs. Sakura looks back up at his eyes; there's a fiery glint in them. Sakura can feel her cheeks heating up as he leans closer...

"Uh...there's no door around here...," Maru says. He's standing in the middle of the path, an uncomfortable look on his face. Sakura and Kiiru look at him, an expression of disappointment and annoyance on Kiiru's, embarrassment on Sakura's. They slowly break apart and head toward him. Maru hesitates a few seconds before mumbling 'sorry,' and turning back around. Sakura takes a deep breath before she asks her question.

"Were you really gonna kiss me, Kiiru?" she whispers. He turns to her with a grin.

"I was thinking about it," he replies, taking her hand again and twining his fingers between hers. His smile falters when her hand remains limp.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" she asks. Kiiru gives her a puzzled look. "I mean, what if we already have someone? We don't know anything about our lives--we could have mates... partners...children...," she says, a sad expression crossing her face. Kiiru frowns, his ears drooping as he sees her point. Sakura squeezes his hand gently. "We'll pretend to be mates for now, since the village already thinks we are--and what Maru just saw pretty much confirms it. But it's probably best if we don't...uh, _pursue_, this until we get our memories back."

Kiiru shuffles his feet on the ground. He sighs. "You're probably right. Falling in love with you, and then finding out I already love someone else would...be difficult..."

Sakura drops her head as a blush crosses her cheeks. _Yes...that would be a problem... _"Just friends, then?" she asks, looking up at him. Kiiru glances at her and smiles.

"For now...," he says, grinning wider when he sees the blush on Sakura's cheeks deepen.

-------------------------------

"Well, here we are," Maru says, gesturing at an oversized hut as the pair rounds a small stand of trees. They stare. The hut at least three times larger than the biggest one they had seen in the village, and there are animal pelts, plants, and various metal objects hanging on and around the area. Several chickens are wandering back and forth in front of the doorway, and a young, roan-colored mare is grazing lazily on the far side of the building, beside a small pond. The smoke Kiiru had seen earlier is coming from a small chimney in the back of the hut, but there are two more that aren't in use dotting the roof. The pair looks at Maru in surprise. "Grandmother is a witch," he says, obviously proud.

Sakura and Kiiru nod dumbly as Maru holds open the flap for them and they step inside. The half-demon immediately starts coughing and sneezing, as the herbs smoking in the darkened room overload his senses. A croaky voice speaks from the far side of the hut.

"Give the hanyou some of the leaves in the green one to chew on, Maru," it says. The man nods and turns around to a small, dark green pot sitting just inside the doorway. He withdraws a small handfull of leaves and hands them to Sakura, because Kiiru is lying curled up on the floor, his nose and mouth covered with one hand, while the other keeps a tight grip on Sakura's. The kneeling girl pries his hand away to force a few of the leaves into the half-demon's mouth. Kiiru calms down after a few minutes of chewing, and glares at Maru.

"You could have warned me," he growls, sitting up. Kiiru places his free hand to his head and falls back against Sakura.

"You will feel better after you have chewed more," the voice in the darkness says. "The leaves dull your senses, so that the smoke will not affect you so much. Maruhanabachi should have given you some before you entered." The voice carries a distinctly disapproving tone as it talks about the man. Maru blushes.

"I'm sorry Grandmother. I, uh, was distracted and forgot," he says, glancing quickly at Kiiru and Sakura, who also blush. Immediately guessing why Maru forgot to warn him, Kiiru waves his hand vaguely in the air.

"I'm okay," he says, trying to stand up again. Kiiru's head swims and he has to lean against Sakura, but the half-demon manages to stay upright this time.

"Mmmmm. I think...about an hour, Maru," the voice says. The dark-haired man bows and leaves the hut.

Sakura and Kiiru watch him leave, then turn around to see who had been talking. They can't see more than a few feet inside the door. The two of them seem to be standing in a sort of antechamber, with another doorway on the far side. Pots of all sizes and shapes line the circular walls, and drying herbs hang from the walls and along the ceiling, some of them sending small spirals of smoke upwards and out a hole in the roof. There are no windows in this room. Sakura glances at the other doorway and squeezes Kiiru's hand to get his attention. She points. A small black cat is sitting in the doorway, a white star on it's forehead. Sakura stares. The cat had two tails. And she didn't know how long it had been watching them.

The cat blinks at them slowly and then turns around and walks through the doorway and deeper into the hut. The pair follows, their mouths opening slightly in surprise as torches hanging along the walls light themselves. This portion of the hut is much wider and higher than the first section, but there are still no windows, though there are two small indentations in the floor--one on the right and one on the left--for fires, and small pipes leading upwards and through the roof above them. Tables line the walls, holding various roots, leaves, seeds, and other plant parts; bones, horns, teeth, fur, and other animal and demon pieces; metal tools, such as knives and two-pronged sticks; small cups of different sizes; and square boxes with what look like drawers in them. Leather pouches hang from the walls, along with the torches and a few shelves containing more body parts --mostly skulls. On the floor are more pots, though there are less of them than in the first room, and they are larger--coming close to Kiiru's waist in height. The boy looks up and leans over to Sakura, pointing to the ceiling. The girl looks up and gasps.

All across the ceiling are stars and constellations, planets and other celestial bodies--including the sun. Someone had painted the universe across the ceiling of this hut. Sakura wasn't positive, but she guessed that this painting was accurate to the last detail. And it was amazing. Silvers, blues, yellows, reds...every color imaginable had been included in the painting. Sakura thought she had never seen anything like it, though she hesitated to mention that since her memory was gone. "Wow," she says slowly turning in a circle. Kiiru watches her, smiling at the wonder on her face. The voice gets their attention.

"You like my work?"

"You...you did this?" Sakura asks, turning her head toward the voice, to another doorway in the hut. The room beyond is dark but for a very faint orange glow. The two edge their way toward the light, following the cat that had waited for them as they looked around the central room.

As Sakura and Kiiru enter the last room, their eyes fall on an old woman sitting before a small fire. There's no pot or food on the fire, but the woman is poking at something lying beneath the coals. She's sitting on a couple of pillows that are lying on the floor, and gesture at the couple to take some of the other ones lying around the fire. The pair sits down and looks around the small room.

There's one covered window in the wall, and another hole in the ceiling to let the smoke from the fire out. The only things in the room are various weapons that are hanging from the walls: swords and daggers, throwing stars, staffs and spears, naginatas, bows and arrows, a chained scythe, and a large boomerang-looking weapon. Sakura stares at the large, curved object, thinking vaguely that she might have seen something like that before. Before she can wonder about it too much, Sakura becomes uneasy, but she notices that Kiiru has an almost lustful look on his face when she glances at him. She yanks on his arm and gives him a semi-disgusted look when he turns to her.

"You already have a sword," she whispers, frowning at the vacant look in his eyes. She brings her other hand up to his face when he doesn't respond. Kiiru blinks a few times before his eyes clear, and he looks down at he girl, confused. Grandmother speaks before they can figure out what's going on.

"You have spiritual powers," the old woman says, her head tilted toward Sakura. The pair looks at her. The woman is hunched forward, and is wearing silver robes and a cloak of the same color. The only part of her body they can see are her long-fingered hands, as the hood of the cloak is covering her head. She continues to poke a blackened stick at something in the fire. The cat has positioned itself on her right side, and is watching them with silver eyes.

"I...I do?" Sakura asks, before she can stop herself. Kiiru nudges her with his elbow. Grandmother laughs.

"I know about you two, dear child," which causes Sakura and Kiiru to suck in their breaths. "But...I cannot help you with your past, I'm afraid. You cannot see, therefore I cannot see. But...I can speculate," she says.

Sakura and Kiiru exchange a confused look. "What...what do you mean?" Sakura asks, her voice shaky.

The witch flips her hand, after which the cat stands and leaves the room. "I can make guesses about your lives, based on your actions now. You two have no memories before this morning. That makes it difficult to guess your whereabouts and purpose." Grandmother holds out her hand as the cat comes back, placing a small round object in her palm before it sits back down beside her. "Take this, and put it between your hands," she says, holding the object out to Sakura. The girl takes it tentatively and looks at Kiiru uneasily before sliding the object between their hands, which are still clasped together. Almost immediately the pair can feel a cooling sensation spreading up their arms. Grandmother grins, though no one can see it.

"You two care for each other...you have a very strong bond. You protect her," the witch says, tilting her head toward Kiiru. He stares at her blankly before nodding, then wonders why he did, because the woman still hasn't looked up at them. "Your...mother was human. Your father...a great Inu Lord." Kiiru jumps at these words, as the image of the large fluffy thing flashes through his mind again. It's clearer this time--he can make out fangs and claws. It looks like a very big dog. The hanyou opens his eyes, not realizing that he closed them. Sakura is frowning at him--concern in her dark eyes. Grandmother has stopped poking the fire. "What was it?" she asks.

"It...looked like a large dog," Kiiru whispers, suddenly embarrassed. He doesn't know why. He catches Sakura's eye, and she nods slightly to indicate that she understands it was the image from earlier.

"It...could be your father. Or...it could be...someone else," the old woman says vaguely.

Kiiru exchanges another look with Sakura. _'That was helpful_,' he mouths. Sakura grins.

"I saw that," Grandmother says, making the pair jump. She gives them a raspy chuckle. "You'd be surprised what I can see," she says, finally raising her head. Sakura slaps her free hand over her mouth, but she can't stifle her gasp. Kiiru pales, but doesn't make a sound. The witch's silver eyes are opaque--she's obviously blind. She smiles and gestures at the cat beside her. "This is Kokei. She allows me to see through her eyes." The cat nods her head and lays down on her side, keeping her eyes on the couple. Sakura and Kiiru suddenly realize that the witch could see everything they had done since they'd entered the hut.

"Uh...why did Kiiru look at the weapons like that," Sakura asks, not sure who to address. She looks at Kokei, then at Grandmother, her expression unsure. She finally settles on the witch when the woman begins speaking.

"Some of the weapons have powers that are...attractive to demons," she answers, tilting her face first toward Sakura, then to Kiiru. "His demon blood desired them, but you broke the spell on his spirit. I believe it is not the first time you have done that...but I cannot be sure," she says. Kiiru turns to stare at the girl. Sakura can feel her face reddening.

"She...broke the spell?" Kiiru asks. "How...?"

"She is a miko. A priestess. This girl has spiritual powers," Grandmother says, reaching behind her to pick up a two-pronged instrument like the ones Kiiru and Sakura had seen in the other room. She reaches into the hot coals with it and pulls out the object she'd been poking at since Kiiru and Sakura came in. "That is how she destroyed the wani. She can purify demonic auras," she says, handing Kiiru the object hanging from the end of the instrument. "It will not burn you," she says when the hanyou hesitates.

Kiiru glances at Sakura before reaching out and taking the circlet. It's cool to the touch. He holds it in the palm of his hand as Sakura leans over for a better look. The ring is about 5 inches in diameter, made of metal, but the pair doesn't know what kind. It seems to shimmer with gold, silver, auburn, green, and smoky-gray colors. Hanging from the circle is what looks like a small tree. Sakura looks up to ask what it is, only to discover that the witch is holding the bracelet's twin out to her, though the width is a little smaller.

"Put them on," Grandmother says. Sakura and Kiiru exchange befuddled looks before sliding the rings onto their wrists. They gasp as the metal tightens around their arms. They can't take them off.

"What're they for?" Kiiru asks, trying to slide the bracelet back off. It's no good--they won't move.

"You will see," the witch responds, smiling slightly.

"Uh...ok," Kiiru says, still fiddling with the band. _How am I ending up with more jewelry?_ _This necklace is bad enough..._ he thinks, idling bringing him arm up to the beads around his neck. Grandmother frowns at him.

"Let me see that," she says, holding out her hand. Kiiru grabs the beads and tries to pull them off, but they glow softly and refuse to budge.

"Uh...they won't come off," Kiiru says, tilting his head to look down at them. The hanyou jumps as he feels a weight on his shoulder. Kokei is sitting there, one paw on the beads. She looks at Grandmother. The witch frowns, looking at Sakura.

"Not by you...but, controlled by you," she says.

"What?" Sakura doesn't know what she's talking about, but she didn't like the tone the old woman had used. Kokei jumps from Kiiru's shoulder to hers. She stares at the cat, who puts a paw on her forehead. Sakura can see the half-demon trying to keep back a smile, and she narrows her eyes at him.

"Do not say 'sit'," the witch says suddenly. Sakura, of course, has to say the word she's just been forbidden to utter.

"Sit?"

SLAM!

Sakura screams, as Kiiru has just been flattened into a pile of pillows by the necklace he's wearing. Kokei jumps away as the girl kneels beside the boy, worry on her face.

"OOOWWWW! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!" Kiiru yells, struggling to sit back up. They can hear Grandmother giggling on the other side of the fire.

"All I said was 'sit'..."

SLAM!

Sakura screams again, her eyes wide. "OWWW! SAKURA! STOP SAYING THAT!" Kiiru yells, trying to lift himself out of the pillows again.

"But why would me saying 'si...'" Sakura stops mid-sentence as Kiiru clamps his free hand over her mouth. He's glaring at her.

"Stop saying that word," he says quietly. Sakura looks at him with wide eyes. Kiiru softens his gaze as he stares at her. She slowly nods; Kiiru removes his hand.

"It is a subduing spell," the witch says, still giggling. "It was not placed by the girl, but she holds the power to control you."

Kiiru frowns. He didn't like the sound of that. He turns to Sakura with an accusing glare, which is instantly wiped away when he sees the hurt on her face. She tries to pull her hand away from his, which had somehow stayed together though Kiiru had been slammed into the floor. The half-demon tightens his grip--he's not about to let her go. Sakura looks at him in surprise.

"I do not know why it was set, young hanyou, but it would be wise if the girl did not say the word unless she means to subdue you," the witch says quietly. She still has a smile on her face.

"Obviously," Kiiru mumbles, drumming his fingers on his cheek. He didn't like this at all. _Why would I have this spell on me? Did I do something to deserve this?_ He's startled out of his reverie by Grandmother's next words.

"You may borrow the horse." She's looking at Sakura.

"Huh?" the girl asks in surprise. She was thinking about how she was going to avoid the word 'sit,' and was caught off-guard by the witch's words.

"You do not have to ask. You may borrow the horse. Or, keep her, actually," the old woman says.

Sakura looks at Kiiru, who shrugs. "Uh...thanks, I guess," she says, confused. She frowns. She's about to ask the question that had been bugging her when Grandmother interrupts.

"That is all for today. I will see you tomorrow. And...no one else knows," she says, waving a hand in the air before tossing something into the fire and poking at it with her stick.

Sakura and Kiiru exchange a look at the ubrupt dismissal and cryptic message. They hear Maru's voice as they stand.

"You two ready?" he yells. Sakura is about to thank the woman, but she interrupts again.

"Tomorrow," she says shortly. The pair settles for a quick bow before leaving the room, the half-demon almost dragging the girl behind him. They meet Maru in the antechamber. A boy is standing behind him, fidgeting in place. He looks like Maru's twin, only shorter and thinner, with gray eyes. He's wearing a crimson tunic with light gold breeches, and a gold belt around his waist, because the tunic is slightly too big. Sakura and Kiiru spare him a glance before turning to the older man.

"Well?" Maru asks, a smile on his face.

"That was..." Kiiru starts.

"Weird. I know," Maru finishes, laughing slightly. "Grandmother can see things days, or even weeks in advance. Sometimes more. She often says things that make no sense until we need the information. What she said was for your ears only, by the way. You do not need to repeat it, though you may, if you wish. This is Mizu," Maru says, turning to grab the shoulder of the boy standing behind him. He pushes the lad forward, and the boy nervously bows.

"S...sorry about earlier," he says apologetically. "I...will be showing you around the village," Mizu mumbles, shuffling his feet. Kiiru and Sakura frown. The boy obviously wasn't happy with this idea.

"You don't have to...," Sakura starts to say.

"Yes, he does," Maru says heatedly. "He pawned off his reponsibilites on Mirai this morning, so this is his punishment. His friends are going to the graveyard, and he can't go. You have permission to...handle him," Maru says to Kiiru, who looks at the man, surprised. Mizu glances up at the half-demon and swallows loudly. Maru grins, gesturing at the others to follow him outside. The small group takes a moment to adjust to the sunlight, then gasps at the sight before them.

Standing on the path leading away from the hut is a group containing ten or so demons and half-demons, each of them wielding a weapon. Standing at the front is the auburn-haired woman they had seen in the village. Maru sighs and puts his head in his hands as she approaches Kiiru.

"We would like a word, hanyou," she says, turning back to the group before Kiiru even has a chance to respond. She completely ignores Sakura. He looks down at the girl, who is frowning at the woman's back, an angry sneer starting to cross her features. Kiiru feels Sakura's fingers tighten around his. She turns to him.

"Be careful," she whispers. Kiiru raises his brow in surprise. "I don't trust her," Sakura says, lowering her voice. The boy looks up at the woman, who has turned back around and is staring at him, her blue eyes narrowed seductively. Kiiru feels a growl trying to escape from his throat before he stops it. He didn't know where that came from. He looks back down at Sakura, who--from the look on her face--also heard the growl. A small smile crosses her lips.

"I think...you can see now...," she says vaguely. She squeezes his hand again.

Kiiru raises one brow at her before heading toward the small group, their hands staying together until Kiiru is a few feet away. Sakura hears him mumble as his fingers leave hers.

"You're as bad as Grandmother..."

* * *

Hey ya'll. I didn't mean to end it like this, but I thought it might be interesting, along with all the other random stuff I threw in. And I'l l get back to Kaede and the others, but I realized I had them about at day ahead of Sakura and Kiiru, and I need to catch them up. So, anyone confused yet? Good. :) 


	9. Why We Left

Here is chap 9 guys. I don't know why this took so long. I think I just got stuck in one spot and couldn't figure out how I wanted it to go, but anyways. I didn't end it where I wanted, either. There would have been, like 6 more pages of stuff if I'd kept going. Oh, well. Ok, dozo! Hopefully you like...

* * *

Sango sits on the roof of Kaede's hut, watching the morning sun rise over the mountains in the distance, Miroku's head in her lap. The tajiya had slept fitfully last night, dreams of Kagome and Inuyasha--confused and scared in some strange place--filling her mind. She had woken when it was still dark and quietly left the hut, taking a walk around town to clear her head. It hadn't worked.

Unable to get back to sleep, the slayer had returned to the hut to find Miroku just emerging, a worried look on his face. He relaxed some when he saw her, but could tell by her expression what had made the girl leave. The monk had silently hugged his fiancé, then took Sango's hand and led her up to the roof. Neither of them had said a word, but simply held each other as dawn had slowly approached.

The hoshin had dozed off a few minutes before, leaning against the slayer's shoulder. Sango had taken pity on him and allowed the boy's head to slide down her arm and into her lap, since Miroku had still been awake when she had fallen asleep last night. She didn't know how long he had slept, but she guessed it hadn't been very long by the tired look in his eyes when he had left the hut.

Sango watches the monk breathing slowly, his eyes fluttering beneath his lids. She gently places one hand on his forehead and plays with his bangs, noticing a small smile play across his lips. The monk mumbles something incoherent and turns onto his side, wrapping his arms around Sango's legs. The tajiya frowns and narrows her eyes.

_He'd better be asleep..._ Sango thinks, watching the boy's breathing carefully. Miroku mumbles again, then settles down, his ribs moving slowly and steadily. The girl relaxes. _Good...he's not awake yet... _The slayer was enjoying her quiet time with the boy--just watching him sleep, without his wandering hands or suggestive remarks getting in the way.

Sango continues to play with Miroku's hair, but it's awkward now that he's facing away from her. Hesitating a few seconds, she removes the band holding his hair back, watching it fall forward slightly to frame his face. She smiles, running her fingers through the dark, silky locks. _I could get used to this..._

Glancing to her left, the slayer notices the curve of Miroku's back end, and wonders if she can get away with it. Finally deciding that she probably won't get another opportunity like this, and wanting to know what the monk is always going on about, Sango slowly reaches her free hand over and gently squeezes the boy's behind.

_Hmmmm... I can kinda see why his hand wanders all the time..._ the slayer thinks, removing her hand back to her lap. _It's sorta nice, actually. Firm, soft..._ Sango suddenly stops and shakes her head, attempting to rid her brain of these thoughts. _I've __**really**__ been around Miroku too much. I'm starting to think like him..._

Sango sighs and continues playing with the hoshin's hair, wondering if Shippo and Koga will remember anything by this evening. Kaede had said the memory potion would take until tonight to start to work, and everyone was getting frustrated with having to wait.

Miroku and Hakkaku had returned from the battle site without any clues. Everything was just as they'd left it the night before: blood trails across the clearing, gashes in the earth from Inuyasha's _Windscar_ and Koga's sudden bursts of speed, downed and broken trees, stray arrows and sutras, the two large dents in the ground where the orbs had hit Koga and Shippo, and Inuyasha and Kagome. The boys had found nothing new.

The two of them had regretably told Sango, Kaede, Ginta, and Kilala that they hadn't found anything. Koga had exited the hut by the time Miroku and Hakkaku had arrived, but neither he nor Shippo had any idea what they were talking about. It had belatedly occurred to the tajiya that maybe they should have the kitsune and the okami go back to the site, to see if anything jogged _their_ memories. Kaede had agreed, and they planned to take the two demons back that night--after the effects of the potion kicked in.

_Hopefully kicks in..._ Sango thinks, sighing again. Miroku stirs for a moment, and the slayer hears him mutter her name quietly before relaxing again. The girl smiles before she notices the monk's right hand making a vague grasping motion in the air. Sango scowls.

_Even in his dreams..._ she thinks. The girl is still glaring when Miroku suddely puts his other hand up to cheek and mumbles an 'oww,' followed closely by a 'but...Sango,' which is said in a whiny voice. The slayer has to clasp her hands over her mouth to stifle her laughing. Sango smiles. She needed that.

-----------------------------------

"Kiiru?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you awake?"

It takes Sakura a minute to realize what she just said. She silently smacks herself as she hears Kiiru chuckle quietly in the darkness.

"No," he says, his voice deadly serious.

"Ha, ha." More laughing. "Shut up," Sakura says, glaring in the boy's direction. She can just see his outline, but nothing specific about the hanyou's features. It was surprisingly dark in the small hut. It takes her another minute to figure out that Kiiru can probably see her because of his demon blood, so she sticks out her tongue at him.

"You'd better keep that in, where I can't get a hold of it," he whispers. Sakura can't help it. She gapes. She can't see him, but Kiiru grins. "Even better...," he mumbles.

The girl slaps one hand over her mouth, glaring at the boy over the top of it. "Kiiru...," she says after a minute, a distinctly disapproving tone in her voice. The half-demon rolls his eyes.

"Calm down, woman," he says, sitting up and sliding over to her mat, then lying down on his side next to Sakura. "I'm only teasing."

Sakura stares at the boy--her eyes wide, her heart now pounding furiously in her chest. Kiiru is watching her with his dark golden orbs, a playful light shining behind them and a small smile on his lips. The young miko takes a deep breath before dragging her gaze away and looking determinedly at the ceiling. She freezes when Kiiru leans closer, his nose and lips touching the side of her neck just below her ear. The boy doesn't kiss her, but simply breathes deeply, inhaling Sakura's scent.

_What is wrong with me?! _the boy thinks. _It's like I have no control over myself when she's around. I'm completely...I don't know...obsessed? no...fascinated? no...infatuated? maybe... And I don't know why... _

Kiiru takes another deep breath before he pulls away, turning onto his stomach and crossing his arms to bury his head in them. He's trying to still the thumping in his chest when he hears Sakura let out the breath she'd been holding. He smiles.

The miko drapes one arm over her head. She shivers and suppresses a moan. _How can he make me feel like this? I'm nervous and excited and scared all at once. And I know I feel... something... for Kiiru...I've felt it ever since I woke up..._

Sakura tilts her head to glance at the boy. He's still facing the floor, and the girl can tell he's fighting to keep it there. She frowns._ Does Kiiru feel the same way? He acts like he does..._ A sudden thought occurs to the girl. _Were he and I...in love?_

Suppressing the smile that formed on her lips at that thought, Sakura asks, "Why are you awake right now, Kiiru?" The boy mumbles into his arm. "What? I don't speak gibberish," she answers, grinning.

Kiiru turns his head and glares at her. "I said, 'I couldn't sleep.' What Kierya said still bothers me."

Sakura nods. "Me, too. When are you supposed to give them an answer?"

"Tomorrow. Before the feast."

Sakura nods again. The village was planning a celebration because they just broke through the second opening into their valley. The workers had made it through the rock walls that afternoon, when Sakura and Kiiru happened to be walking by with Mizu, on their 'tour' of the village. The way wouldn't be clear and ready for use for several more weeks, but the people were excited all the same.

The villagers hadn't had any reason to celebrate of late, and the break-through--along with the news that the two newcomers had defeated the crocodile-demon--which had somehow spread by the time the pair had returned to their hut--gave them plenty of reason to party.

Mizu had explained on their walk that they had only been in the valley for a little less than six months, but he didn't say why. Kierya was one of only a dozen or so demons, and their unofficial leader, as she was the best fighter of the small group. The female youkai had been a friend of Grandmother's from the time she was a little girl.

--------------------------

Grandmother, whose real name was Shiroshinju, had saved Kierya's life when she was only 6 years old. The demoness had fought a hard battle against a kuma-demon, just barely winning the fight before she toppled from the bear's lair--a cave overlooking a rushing river. The kitsune had survived the fall, eventually washing up on the shore where Shiroshinju just happened to be scrubbing her family's clothing.

The little girl wasn't frightened, as youkai often visited her village; some even had mates and families among the humans. Shiroshinju pulled the unconscious Kierya from the water, saving the vixen from the imminent death that was awaited her. The raven-haired, silver-eyed girl retrieved her father--the village's doctor--who immediately set to work on treating Kierya's wounds. The demoness barely survived.

Once she awoke, Kierya spent several days under Shiroshinju and her father's care, healing and recovering her strength. The vixen didn't trust them at first, as the only humans she had known had tried to hunt her down. Thankfully, Kierya didn't hold a hatred or resentment for all humans though, and soon came to trust both the little girl and her father, becoming a valuable ally in their village.

From the moment she learned of the little girl's role in her rescue, Kierya appointed herself as Shiroshinju's personal guardian, and vowed to protect the human with her life. The vixen was still young when she faced off against the bear, and would be able to watch over the witch-to-be to the end of her days. Shiroshinju is the only person who knows what really happened between the kitsune and the kuma that day.

----------------------------

Mizu had told all this to Kiiru and Sakura on their tour of the village, answering questions when they voiced them. He said that Grandmother no longer answered to 'Shiroshinju,' as her late husband was the last one to call her that. It seemed to her children grandchildren that if it wasn't her _otto_ who said her name, then it wasn't worth answering the call.

Kiiru had wanted to know why he couldn't keep his eyes off the vixen when he first saw her, but now he could. Mizu explained that since Kierya was a _kitsune_, she could perform magic, and often used it to control or manipulate humans or demons. He said that the demoness probably took a liking to Kiiru, but that he didn't know for sure, and that only Grandmother would know why he wasn't affected by her anymore.

"So...she probably likes you...," Sakura says flatly, staring at the ceiling. She hears Kiiru change positions. He's facing her again, his head lying on his bent left arm. The girl is still looking up, an irritated scowl crossing her features.

"Maybe...according to Mizu. But that's why we're sleeping in the same hut--right?" Kiiru says, a small smile on his face.

Sakura glances at the boy before turning onto her right side, shifting a little to make her sore shoulder more comfortable. She sighs. "Yes. It _is_ easier this way--pretending to be mates. They'll be fewer complications when we leave the village."

Kiiru cocks an eyebrow. "Leave? You want to leave? Already?"

Sakura had been playing with a thread running through her sleeping mat, but now looks up at the hanyou, a question in her eyes. "You don't?"

Kiiru frowns, then shrugs. "I don't know. Everyone here seems nice enough. And where do we have to go, anyway?" he asks, a sarcastic grin on his lips.

Sakura rolls her eyes at the boy. "Kiiru. The longer we stay here, the more likely it is that someone will find out that we don't remember anything. I don't think the villagers would mind really, or try to hurt or take advantage of us;..." _Except Kierya, maybe..._ the girl thinks, quickly pushing the thought aside to continue her sentence. "...they'd probably want to help, if they could. But nothing about this village feels familiar at all. Not the people...not the location...nothing. Haven't you noticed?"

The half-demon boy stares silently at Sakura for a few minutes, finally lifting his hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "You're familiar," he whispers.

The girl blushes and nods her head at him. "You, too, Kiiru. But nothing else. I don't know if it would be better to stay or leave."

Kiiru regards the dark-haired girl with narrowed eyes, studying her face. Sakura is playing with the loose strand on her mat again, and doesn't notice his gaze. "Why do you want to leave?" he asks.

The young priestess glances up, trying to figure out how Kiiru knew what she really wanted to do. She takes a deep breath before answering. "Because...I think... we're supposed to be doing something right now. Something important. And whatever that something is, it's not here," she says, rolling onto her back and staring at the ceiling again.

The hanyou continues to watch Sakura as she frowns, trying--in vain--to remember what was so important. The same feeling had occurred Kiiru; it had gotten worse as the day wore on. The boy sighs and rolls onto his back also, receiving both a surprise and a shock when Sakura finds his hand and grasps his fingers with her own. The boy smiles to himself before he speaks.

"You're right, Sakura. We're not supposed to be here." He frowns. "Let's...stay through tomorr... tonight?...then leave, uh... tomorrow morning. That way we can still go to the celebration, and get Grandmother's opinion on this. Okay?" Kiiru says, turning his head toward the girl.

Sakura nods slowly, a small smile crossing her lips. "And we can ask about Kierya." The boy gives her a quiet grunt. The girl yawns. "I think we can get a few hours sleep, yet. It's still pretty dark out," she says, turning and snuggling into the arm whose finger's are still twined with her own. Sakura falls asleep in a few minutes, the half-demon lagging only seconds behind, because he had to brush the miko's hair back again.

---------------------------------------

Sakura slowly opens her eyes, the light that's shining on her lids bringing the girl out of a deep slumber. Kiiru is still asleep behind her, the hanyou's arms wrapped around the girl's waist, his head buried under her hair. She can feel his soft breath on the back of her neck. Sakura feels goosebumps rise on her skin as a chill runs down her spine. But it's not because of Kiiru.

Minutes before she woke up, Sakura had been dreaming. She was running--something was after her--but she didn't know what or why. The girl then suddenly trips over something, and goes crashing to the ground. She hears a growl, then wakes up. Sakura shivers again.

_Was it just a dream? Or was it a memory--like Kiiru's?_

The boy in question pulls her closer and utters a low growl. Sakura closes her eyes and sighs, debating on whether or not to tell him about her dream. She finally decides that if she has it again, she'll tell him. If not, the miko will write it off as simply a dream, and nothing more.

Not wanting to wake the sleeping half-demon, Sakura continues to lie quietly, letting her mind wander over the events of the previous day. Noting several discrepancies in what they had been told about the village so far, Sakura mentally lists everything she wanted to ask Grandmother about later. It takes the girl a few seconds to notice the third presence in the room.

Mirai is standing in the doorway, her eyes wide as she stares at the pair. Sakura gives her a small smile and puts one finger to her lips to indicate that she should let Kiiru continue to sleep. The little girl nods, a gapped smile crossing her face. Sakura raises one brow and points to her own teeth, a frown on her face. Mirai walks closer and kneels in front of the older girl to answer her.

"It's my first one," she whispers, a slight lisp making 'first' sound like 'firthst.' She smiles again before holding up a tiny monkey carved out of bone. "Thee what I got for it?"

Sakura holds out her palm and the little girl places the object in her hand. The miko holds it up to the light, admiring the workmanship. She hands it back to Mirai. "It's beautiful," she mouths, making the girl smile again.

"Grandmother wanths you to eat breakfathst with her today," the pig-tailed child says, a look of surprise crossing her face as Kiiru turns onto his back, dragging the priestess onto his stomach, his arms still wrapped around her. She starts to giggle at the startled expression on Sakura's face. "Juthst go to her hut when you're ready," Mirai whispers before standing and leaving the pair, her giggles echoing into the early morning.

"Think she'll tell anyone?" Kiiru asks, hugging the girl tighter. Sakura groans.

"How long have you been awake?" she asks, turning her head to look at him. Kiiru grins without opening his eyes.

"Only a minute or so," he says, running his hands through her hair. "What did she show you? I heard you say it was beautiful."

Sakura smiles. "A monkey carved out of bone. Mirai got it for losing her first tooth." Kiiru nods, then yawns, stretching his arms over his head before hugging the girl again. The miko rolls her eyes. "Apparently you're not listening to my advice," she says.

Kiiru sighs and looks down at her, a small frown on his face. Sakura tilts her head to face him, confused at his response to her statement. "It just feels like...I always want to do this...and I never do. For some reason or another," he mumbles. "And...I think I should..."

Sakura gives the hanyou a perplexed scowl, her brows coming together. "What does that mean?" she asks. She didn't like the tone Kiiru had used.

The hanyou looks up at the ceiling. "I...it's just a feeling," he whispers. "I think it's important that...you know."

_Know? Know that Kiiru likes me? Not that it's not obvious, but why would it be important? _Sakura watches the hanyou, trying to figure out what in the world is going through his head. She finally gives up and turns onto her back also, holding Kiiru's hands as they rest on her stomach.

Kiiru rubs the girl's palms, trying to think of a way to explain what he felt. The half-demon obviously liked Sakura, but he felt it was more than that, and didn't know why she needed to know. The boy takes a deep breath, trying to dispel the strange, heavy feeling in his chest. Sakura's words bring him back to the conversation.

"So, you think it's important to...flirt with me?" she asks, shaking her head a little. Kiiru can hear the amusement in her voice. He grins at the top of her head.

"Something like that. Maybe. I don't know. But...we have to be convincing, anyway. At least for another day or so," the boy whispers, tightening his arms around her.

The miko shakes her head again, trying to maintain a calm air despite the pounding of her heart. She closes her eyes, savoring the warmth from the hanyou's embrace and realizing how safe she feels in his arms. "Fine. Have it your way," she says, as nonchalantly as she can.

Kiiru smiles. _Note to self: Sakura is not good at lying..._

---------------------------

The miko and the half-demon are outside Grandmother's hut, waiting for the leaves to start working so Kiiru could enter. Sakura is staring at Grandmother's mare, watching her graze idly is the soft morning light. The girl didn't think she knew that much about horses, but even she could tell it was a fine animal. _Good build, lean, alert... _

The roan suddenly stops where she is and side-steps a spot on the ground. Frowning, Sakura takes a few steps toward the horse and notices a hole in the dirt, probably belonging to a rat or maybe a snake. The miko stares at the mare, catching her dark-brown gaze.

_Intelligent..._ the miko thinks, knowing what could happen if the horse had stepped in that hole. _I wonder why Grandmother said we could have her...?_

Kiiru speaks then, interrupting her musings. "Ready?" he asks, nodding his head toward the door, where Kokei is waiting on the pair. Sakura nods and they enter the hut, walking through the anteroom and into the large central chamber. They see Grandmother, Maru, Mizu, and Mirai sitting around a fire on the far side. They stop, obviously confused as to why the three siblings are there.

"Please, sit down," Grandmother says, gesturing at some pillows that had been moved from the back room. Kokei takes up her position on the witch's right side, laying down and gazing at them with half-closed eyes. Kiiru and Sakura sit down, slightly nervous about the three possibly finding out about their memory loss. Maru speaks first, as Mirai hands the two bowls of some sweet-smelling goopy substance.

"Grandmother asked us to join you for breakfast. She said you would have questions that we could help answer," he says, taking a bite out of his own bowl.

Kiiru and Sakura swallow their fears about the strange-looking brown...stuff, and each take a bite. It's warm and sugary, but with a slight spiciness. It's very good, and the pair immediately starts to eat with enthusiasm.

The hanyou mumbles a 'thanks' for the food and glances at Sakura. She nods and accepts some water from Mizu before continuing with her food. Kiiru swallows his bite and asks his question. "I...was wondering. Kierya...she...does she like me?" he asks bluntly, preferring to just get the embarrassment over with. Four of the five humans smile, while the fifth glares into her food bowl, trying to control herself.

"I think so," Maru says, glancing quickly at Sakura and noticing her scowl. He grins again. "But she knows you're mated now, so she won't bother you in that respect. However... Kierya won't allow you to escape her question so easily," he says, wearily rubbing his temples.

Sakura looks up, frowning. "Why? If Kiiru just says 'no,' how can she argue with that?"

Grandmother speaks this time. "Because--right now--he is the strongest demon in this village. He could probably even handle Kierya, but only an actual fight would determine the outcome, and I don't think we want that," the witch says, smiling at the pair's alarmed faces. She continues. "With his sword, the hanyou outstrips everyone. Except you, child. And me."

"Me?" the miko asks, forgetting that she's supposed to know this. Kiiru glances at her quickly, a slight frown on his face. The three siblings stare at Sakura confusedly before Grandmother speaks again.

"Yes, dear. Your powers are far greater than mine or the half-demon's. But you have not come into them yet--correct?" she asks, handing Sakura a way out of her predicament. The miko nods slowly and watches Maru, Mizu, and Mirai's expressions soften.

Sakura watches them for a minute, noting that Mirai has a slightly vacant look in her eyes that she didn't have earlier that morning. The little girl catches her eye and gives her a toothy grin, showing the empty spot in her gums. The miko smiles back and faces Kiiru as he speaks.

"So, why didn't Kierya ask Sakura to help?"

"She...has an aversion to priestesses," the witch says, frowning slightly.

Sakura and Kiiru catch the tone in her voice and choose not to ask any questions on that subject. Instead, the miko says, "How did you come to this valley?"

Mizu smiles. "We used to live on the other side of this mountain, between a river that flows down from the peak and the one that brought us Kierya."

"The one Grandmother grew up in?" Kiiru asks.

Mizu nods. "Yes. The village had been there since before Grandmother was born. A few months ago, some tora-demons wandered into the area and decided that they wanted to live in village. There were already several demons and half-demons living with us, and we accepted the tigers as long as they agreed to do their share. They agreed and began to build a few huts on the outskirts of the village."

The boy frowns and shakes his head sadly. "Grandmother and Kierya weren't there at the time; they had gone to a shrine up on the the mountain, and weren't expected back for several days."

Maru speaks next, bitterness in his voice. "I should have known better. It was too simple, too easy," he says, his head in his hands. Sakura glances at the other two, her heart breaking at the sadness etched across their young features.

"The youkai and hanyou living with us had been there for several years. A few had mates among the humans, but mostly they kept to...their own kind...," Maru says, frowning slightly. He gives Kiiru a sorrowful look, afraid that he's offended the half-demon. Kiiru just shrugs and nods for the other to continue.

"In most cases, one of the villagers would befriend a solitary demon--or perhaps two or three, never very many at once, but it's been a long time. That's why we were confused when we saw you two together...," the man says, looking up at Sakura and Kiiru, who show surprise. "...it's been months since we've seen a human and a demon together that way. Outside of our own, anyway."

The miko and the hanyou exchange an embarrassed glance, their cheeks tinted. The two younger humans giggle quietly, while Maru smiles apologetically, and Grandmother just grins. Mirai finally takes pity on the pair and stops laughing long enough to continue the story.

"With the tora, there were at leathst a dothzen of them. We sthould have stheen it coming. The tigerz hardly talked to the humanz--they thstayed with thoze of demonic blood mothst of the time," she whispers, close to tears. "They...our _friendz_...they weren't our friendz anymore. We...we think they were under a sthpell. We had _hoped_ they were under a sthpell..."

"You have to understand...," Maru says, looking up at the pair. "...before those tora, anyone--human or demon--had to be..._approved_ by either Grandmother or Kierya before they were allowed to stay. We've had..._problems_ with this sort of thing before," he whispers. Kiiru frowns.

"What about us?" he asks. "We'd already been in the village for several hours before we saw either of them."

"I could sense you," Grandmother whispers, turning her head to the hanyou. "I knew that you meant us no harm."

The half-demon nods, still frowning slightly. He glances at Sakura, who has a strained look on her face while she's looking at Mizu. Looking at the boy, Kiiru notices that he looks slightly lost, confusion on his face. Mirai has the same look. The half-demon wonders about this, but doesn't have time to think about it before Maru speaks again.

"Unfortunately though, Grandmother wasn't there. So we let the tigers stay. And one week later, they attacked." Maru shakes his head sadly. "Most of the villagers fled. We keep supplies hidden in the mountains--each family finds it's own spot, in the event of a betrayal. Good thing...," the dark-haired man mumbles, his head in his hands.

"A few died--mainly our best fighters. Maru and Chushin were away, luckily. Or maybe, unluckily. They were in a neighboring village trying to buy something the tora requested...," Mizu spits, a sneer on his face. The boy gives a low growl.

"We think they were after thomething, but we don't know what. About half of uth got away. Mothstly humans. Our friendszwith demonic blood, they...they...," Mirai stops, unable to say the next words. Her eldest brother finishes for her.

"They turned on us. They started to attack. Only those with human mates or half-human children stayed with us. I'll have to introduce you to Nigatsu. He wasn't with the group yesterday--his wife just had their second a few days ago--but the herajika led the villagers across the mountain to this valley." Maru sighs.

"Chushin and I returned the next day to find the village in ruins. Kierya stopped us before we got too close; the tigers were still there, along with those youkai we thought were our friends. The vixen explained that she and Grandmother had met Nigatsu on the mountain, and the elk had explained what had happened. The fox came to get us and check for survivors, of which there were none. We gave up the remaining demons as lost to us and followed Kierya to the waterfall entrance. Only then did we notice the crocodile, but we were to shocked at that time to do anything about him."

Kiiru is about to ask why they didn't fight the tora when Sakura suddenly speaks.

"Come out," the miko whispers, very quietly.

Everyone gives her confused looks except for Grandmother--who smiles--as the raven-haired girl turns around to look at the doorway to the last room in the hut.

Kierya steps from the shadows into the central room, a look of annoyance and respect on her face. Sakura narrows her eyes at the kitsune as the others gasp.

"Hello, priestess," the vixen whispers.

* * *

Um, yeah... Tired. Must sleep... 


	10. Explanations & Preparations

Ugh. I am _not_ happy. I had this chap done last night, and the website's been acting stupid, so I couldn't get it up til now. Anyway...I'm double updating _Souls_, and I might triple up date it. Not definite, but I'm thinking about it. :) Sorry it's taken so long, life got in the way. Ok, well...dozo!

* * *

Sakura keeps her eyes narrowed at the kistune as she approaches the group sitting on the floor. The miko has her fists clenched in her lap, but manages to keep her face impassive. She can hear a very soft growl coming from Kiiru, and knows that Kierya is probably the only other one to hear it.

"Uh...what's going on?" Maru asks, glancing from the fox to his grandmother and back. "We didn't know Kierya was going to be here." The young man stares up at the demon as she comes to a stop between him and his sister. He quickly looks back to Grandmother, who speaks.

"I asked her to be here, Maru."

The five humans and one half-demon wait for the witch to explain, but Grandmother doesn't say anything more about why the kitsune is there. Instead, she says, "Thank you, children. I will see you later at the feast," while smiling widely. The siblings exchange confused and slightly nervous looks before they stand and bow, then quietly exit the hut.

"Send Keiko, when you are ready," Kierya says, her deep-timbered voice rasping slightly. Grandmother nods as the demoness turns to leave. The fox sends a quick glance to the hanyou as she passes him, her blue eyes boring into his amber ones. Kiiru resists the urge to bare his fangs at her as she passes through the doorway.

"Grandmother, can you please explain why you are testing our trust in you?" Sakura says as soon as she sure Kierya is out of earshot. The miko is avoiding looking at the witch, and her fists are shaking with her attempts to keep them steady. Kiiru is no longer trying to stifle his growl.

"Yes, witch. _Please_ tell us why the vixen was hiding in your back room," he whispers. The boy--like Sakura--is trying very hard not to loose his temper.

Keiko hisses at the hanyou, her dark fur bristling, but Kiiru ignores the cat and continues to glare at the old woman. Grandmother smiles again.

"If you will permit me to explain, young ones, I will tell you why Keirya was here." The witch looks back and forth between the two of them before Sakura nods. Kiiru doesn't move.

"I asked the kitsune here to test your powers," Grandmother says softly, looking at Sakura. The miko raises her brows in surprise. "I wanted to make sure that you could..._sense_...when others were deceiving you. In your state, you two are far more likely to be tricked, as neither you, priestess, nor the half-demon, have any skills in this area."

Kiiru stares at the old woman, astonished. He quickly glances at Sakura, who is wearing the same expression. "Wh...what do you mean? Are you saying...what _are_ you saying?" he asks. Grandmother smiles.

"I am saying--young hanyou--that you have no memories of having ever been the..._object_ of a deception. As a result, you are very trusting of others, and therefore more likely to fall prey to liars, theives, and deceitful demons. I asked Kierya to shield her aura from the two of you, and use her fox magic to control my grandchildren."

Sakura gasps--placing one hand over her mouth--while Kiiru simply looks disgusted. Grandmother gives the pair a low chuckle.

"It is not as bad as it sounds. Kierya used a very small amount of magic on them, and only enough to enter their minds for a brief time. That was why you saw the vacant looks on their faces, priestess. The vixen only took enough control that you would notice, and only for a few seconds at at time. Kierya was supposed to gradually increase the time interval and level of control--the longer it took for you to notice--but you figured out she was here fairly quickly," the witch says. She grins triumphantly at the pair still in shock before her.

"But...but...you're _own_ grandkids? How...how...?" Sakura stutters. She can't believe that Grandmother would willingly put Maru, Mizu, and Mirai through something like that. The witch shrugs.

"The kids will be fine; they did not notice that their minds were temporarily taken over. And... they trust Kierya," Grandmother says quietly, staring intently at the hanyou and the miko, her silver eyes serious. "She would never hurt them, and they know this."

Sakura and Kiiru exchange an uneasy glance, not exactly sure what they think about the situation. Grandmother senses their confusion, and places a hand on Kokei's head, brushing the cat's ears lightly before she speaks to the pair. The black feline calms some and starts to purr.

"I needed to make sure that you two could..._ survive_ ...outside of the village, before you leave. You are planning to leave, soon--yes?"

Sakura goggles at the witch, while Kiiru just blinks several times. "H...how did you know?" the miko asks.

"You two are not comfortable here, and you are somewhat restless. I can guess why, though. No one here has ever heard of you, and I suspect that you feel the same about us, and are eager to find your own way again." Grandmother stops and drops her head forward slightly before continuing, her smile faltering. "Alas, I cannot help you with your destination. Nothing I have seen concerning you two points to which direction you should take. You will have to figure that one out on your own. However..."

The witch stops here and runs her hand down the whole length of Kokei's body, to the tip of her tails. The cat gives Kiiru a glare before she stands and walks to the back room. A few minutes later, the two-tail returns--something hanging from her mouth. She takes up her position beside Grandmother and sets the objects in the witch's outstretched palm.

"These...," Grandmother says, waving her other hand over the two small pouches held between her fingers, "...are for you."

Kiiru and Sakura stare in awe as the space between the woman's hands glows a soft pale green color, and the dark leather pouches grow to several times their original sizes. The witch hands the miko and the hanyou each one of the matching sacks, their only difference being the simple embroidered stamps on the flap covering the opening. Sakura's is a crossed bow and arrow; Kiiru's, the bigger form of his sword. The pair takes the bags, their mouths opens slightly in shock.

"The pouches are simple: two large spaces inside; one on the outside, underneath the flap. A fourth pocket is located on the inside of the flap itself, but it is only visible to the owner of the pack." Grandmother grins again when she sees the perplexed looks on the younger one's faces. "It is there to hide any objects you might not want others to find: a potion; a magical object; money."

"Oh...," Kiiru says, staring down at the bag now lying in his lap. He traces one clawed finger over the image of his sword, then over the stitches holding the leather together, and around the long shoulder strap and back to the sack. "This is excellent workmanship," he mumbles, seeing Sakura nod out of the corner of his eye as she gazes at her own pack. "Why are you giving these to us?" he asks, looking back up and frowning slightly at the witch.

"Because I can only help you in a few ways, and this is one of them. You two..._arrived_ with only the clothes on your back, and your weapons--correct?" Grandmother asks, placing her hand back on Kokei as the pair nods. "You are wearing ceremonial robes right now--a gift from the villagers for destroying the wani." She smiles again as Sakura gasps. "They are yours, child, but the robes are not suitable for traveling. You will need somewhere to store them, plus the food, medicines, and other items you will need while journeying. I asked Meigara-- our tanner--to make them for you."

Kiiru frowns. "That's a woman's name." Grandmother turns her head toward him and stares with her light eyes until the half-demon fidgets on his pillow.

"So?" she asks after a minute. Kiiru snorts and opens his mouth to speak, but Sakura cuts him off.

"It's just...I think that tanner's are usually men. I _think_. I'm not really sure...you know." The miko blushes slightly as the witch turns to look at her.

"That is right; men do usually occupy that position. Meigara learned the craft from her father, who had all daughters. He is too old now to work, so she took up the trade." Grandmother shrugs. "She is good; possibly even better than her father. It makes no difference to us whether she is male or female."

Kiiru stares at the woman for a minute before rolling his eyes and fingering the pack again. Sakura hides her smile. It was obvious that the half-demon thought so, too.

"Well, tell her thank you for us, Grandmother. They're beautiful. And thank you for the robes, also," Sakura says, running her fingers across the edge of her sleeve. The witch nods.

"I will tell her, and the villagers who made the robes. Later this afternoon, Mizu will take you to Habigaku, our herbalist. He will give you food and medicines to take with you when you leave."

Sakura and Kiiru nod vaguely, trying to process everything that they had been told in the past half-hour. And they still had lots of questions to ask.

"How...long are we going to be here?" Kiiru asks, trying to sound unconcerned. Grandmother smiles.

"Awhile, I think," she says, removing her hand from the black cat, who yawns and exits the room.

-----------------------

"What do you think he'll say?"

Kierya is silent for a several minutes while she stops what she is doing and glances in the direction of Grandmother's hut. She turns back to the washi, her face impassive.

"I don't know, Kin'iro." The kitsune stares into the eagle's golden eyes--eyes the same color as the inu hanyou's. She sighs and turns back to the cake she was making. "I hope that he will say 'yes,' but I just don't know. It would be a shame to move again."

Kin'iro nods, his tawny bangs falling over his angled facial features. He pushes his hair back and frowns at the demon before him, her attention completely taken up by the feast preparations for that night.

"Maybe if you hadn't been so hostile toward the girl...," he says, bowing his head to hide his grin when the vixen looks up at him. Kierya rolls her eyes at him.

"I cannot help it that I do not..._trust_...priestesses. You know why; would you trust them?" The eagle stares at her for a moment before shrugging.

"I guess not. But then you...then you _flirted_ with..." The demon can't contain his laughter, and doubles over the table holding his stomach. Kierya grabs a handful of batter and dumps it on his head.

"HEY! What'cha do that for?!" Kin'iro yells, glaring at the fox. "Aww, man... Now I'm gonna have bathe to get this stuff out...," he whines, looking down at the goop that is dripping off his head and onto his black tunic.

"Serves you right, Kin'iro. How was I supposed to know that he and the girl were...mated? Or, almost mated...whatever. I just thought he looked nice." The washi snorts.

"Looked nice? Kierya, you thought he was _gorg_..."

"Shut up," the fox says, aiming another handful of batter at the other demon. Kin'iru laughs as he dodges the incoming missile.

------------------------------

"So, my sword has..._abilities_?"

"Yes. But I do not know what. You will have to find those out on your own," Grandmother says.

She, Sakura, and Kiiru had been in the hut all morning, discussing various topics, the most recent of which was the hanyou's sword. The witch had already explained to the pair about Kierya; that she did show some interest in Kiiru when she first saw him, but would back off now that she knew he was attached to Sakura. Her question to the half-demon, however, was a different story.

The pair now knew _why_ the kitsune wanted Kiiru's help, but he was reluctant to leave the miko by herself. Sakura wouldn't be alone, of course--she would be in the village--but the hanyou still felt uneasy for some reason. Grandmother had told them why Kierya didn't like priestesses, either, which explained the indifference and hostility the fox had shown Sakura, though the miko still didn't completely trust the demoness. The girl attributed her continuing animosity to the fact that Kierya had wanted Kiiru, and Sakura was probably just jealous. Though she didn't tell anyone this.

"Do...you have _any_ idea, Grandmother?" Kiiru asks. "If I help...won't it look suspicious if I don't know how my own weapon works?" He sees Sakura turn to him, a slight frown on her face. She sighs after a minute.

"He's right. Kiiru can do basic attacks, but how's he supposed to fight at the level you say he can, when he doesn't know how to use the sword? It won't take the others very long to figure out that something is wrong."

Grandmother frowns. She had been wondering about this, too. The witch had already assured the pair that no one else in the village knew about their memory loss, but several people knew about the girl being a miko, and about the half-demon's powerful sword. It would look extremely strange that neither one knew how to control their abilities. The old woman brings her hands closer and presses the tips of her fingers together. She closes her eyes.

"You should still be able to fight well, even without using the sword's powers. You handled the wani easily enough; a few demons should not be a problem--especially with the others there. _If_ you should have trouble, half-demon, think about how your sword changed the first time. It may not happen, but it is likely that you will be able to remember _something_ to help you," Grandmother whispers. She keep her eyes closed as her mind continues to wander.

The witch had asked the two to tell her of their time before the villagers found them, from the moment they woke up. 'Everything,' she had said, when Sakura and Kiiru were reluctant to reveal their thoughts. Grandmother had smiled when the pair's faces blushed a lovely shade of pink on admitting their first impressions of each other. The woman had figured out it was the hanyou's desire to _protect_ the girl that made the sword change form, which Kiiru admitted he hadn't even thought about; it was second nature to him.

The witch told the boy that his handling of the sword revealed his familiarity with it, and that all he needed to do was trust his instincts. The knowledge was there, even if Kiiru couldn't reach it at the moment. As long as the hanyou did what came naturally, he would be fine. The boy sighs.

"I just don't feel comfortable...going off without knowing...well, anything," Kiiru mumbles. He drums his fingers on one knee, and starts when he feels Sakura's hand on top of his. He looks at her with wide eyes.

"I think you'll be fine, Kiiru. Grandmother's right; you handled the crocodile, and this encounter couldn't be worse than that one--right?" she asks, squeezing his fingers gently.

The hanyou can feel his cheeks getting warm, and quickly looks up, watching the smoke from the small fire swirl among the stars painted across the ceiling before it leaves through the hole in the roof.

"I...guess," he says, before looking back to the girl. "But...what about you, Sakura? Will you be alright here?"

The miko nods. "Yeah; I'll be fine, Kiiru. Even if Kierya wanted me there, my leg and shoulder are still too injured for me to be of much help. You're almost healed, and although the youkai and hanyou would probably be okay if you don't go, the meeting with the tora will be easier on them if you're there. It shouldn't take more than a couple of days. We could leave after you get back." Sakura gives the boy a smile, hiding the uneasiness she suddenly felt. The girl was getting a very bad feeling about the hanyou leaving, but the village needed his help. It was the least they could do after the hospitality they had shown towards the two strangers.

Kiiru nods slowly, and looks down at their hands, rubbing Sakura's thumb absentmindedly with his own. "I'm still gonna think about it...for awhile...," he mumbles. Grandmother nods and turns the conversation to another, more depressing, topic.

"The...what the wani called you, hanyou..."

"Half-breed?" Sakura asks as both she and Kiiru turn towards the witch.

"Yes...," Grandmother says slowly, watching the young faces before her with unease at their lack of reaction. "Do not...say that word. It is a defiling term used to describe the offspring of a human and a demon. A hanyou. Or of a hanyou and a human. It is a hateful word that is meant to harm and degrade, and should not be used by those who respect demons."

The pair looks at the witch in surprise before nodding. "O...ok," Sakura says, suddenly ashamed that she'd said the word twice already.

"That, dear, is the correct response," Grandmother says, noticing the girl's blush. The miko looks at her in surprise. The witch sighs. "This is why I was testing you earlier. Our village is not unique, in that we accept those with demonic auras, but we are not common, either. While you travel, you will not encounter many other villages like ours. Most humans are wary of demons, to say the least, but will accept you into their village for a brief time, even if they are not comfortable with you being there. Others will use that term without restraint, and it is also often accompanied by...violent actions."

Kiiru's eyes widen. "You...you mean...they'll..._attack _me?"

Sakura can feel her heart start beating very hard against her ribs. What Grandmother was saying couldn't possibly be true--could it?

The witch's face falls as she stares at the half-demon before her, his eyes silently pleading with her to say what he wants to hear. Grandmother wishes that she could, and hates that she has to be the one to tell him otherwise.

"They may do worse than that, child. They may try to kill you," she whispers. The trio sits in silence for several minutes, the younger ones trying to digest what Grandmother just said. Sakura finds her voice first.

"Kill...? They'd kill Kiiru just because he's half-demon?" she asks dazedly. The girl can feel the boy's fingers tensing under her own, and she squeezes them lightly. Grandmother nods.

"Yes. Some--not all, but some--humans, hold an innate fear of anything demonic, and act according to that fear. They believe that all youkai are evil, and a child resulting from the union of a human and a demon is an abomination. They will not let you near them or anything they hold dear, and may even come after you once you have left their lands."

Grandmother tries to give the pair a small smile, but neither are really paying attention. Sakura is holding back tears, and Kiiru isn't even in the room anymore: his thoughts have led him away from the conversation. The witch clears her throat and speaks again when a pair of dark and a pair of light eyes slowly turn to her.

"Thankfully, not all humans are like that. The men at the waterfall were not thinking straight, which was why they threatened you. You had just defeated the wani, and the men were scared--to say the least--since we had also just had the..._incident_ with the tora a few months ago. Maru had his head on the right way, at least, and immediately came to talk to me about you." Grandmother stops to watch the miko and the hanyou, their expressions still betraying their shock. She sighs and places her hand on the dozing cat by her side, rubbing the feline's ears affectionately.

"Humans are not the only ones with prejudices, you know. Demons can be--and usually are--just as bad. The tigers should have proved that," she says.

Sakura looks at the witch and nods before wiping a tear away from her cheek with her free hand. Kiiru takes a deep breath and speaks for the first time in 10 minutes.

"I'll just have to be careful, then, of who I trust," he says, his voice husky. He avoids looking at either of the two women.

"Don't you mean _we_?" Sakura asks, turning her head to glare at the boy.

Kiiru mumbles a '_right_' under his breath, but still doesn't look at the miko. The girl twines her fingers with the boy's and squeezes them as hard as she can. The half-demon quickly turns to her, frowning at the pressure she's putting on his hand.

"I _said_, 'Don't you mean _**we**_?' " she asks again, glaring angrily at Kiiru. He simply stares at the girl, which makes Sakura even more angry. The priestess yanks on the boy's hand so that the pair ends up being nose-to-nose. The hanyou's eyes widen. "Don't you trust me?" Sakura hisses, her voice low.

Kiiru watches the girl for almost a full minute before he sighs and closes his eyes, leaning forward slightly so that his forehead is against the girl's. Sakura's expression relaxes as she watches the boy breathing slowly, his lips parted slightly. She can see Grandmother looking at them out of the corner of her eye, but ignores the older woman. Kiiru speaks after several minutes.

"Yes. But I don't want you to suffer because of me," he whispers. The miko can hear the sadness in his voice.

"Don't you think that's my decision?" she retorts softly. Kiiru opens his eyes. "Familiar--remember?" the girl says, bringing her other hand up to gently stroke the boy's cheek. Sakura sees a ghost of a smile flash across the hanyou's handsome face.

The boy raises his head and presses his lips to the girl's forehead, hesitating a second before placing a kiss on her brow. Sakura closes her eyes.

"Thank you," Kiiru whispers, bringing his arms up to draw the girl into an embrace. The miko hugs him back.

"You're welcome."

-------------------------------

"This one will help with poisons, and this one is for burns...," a short, slightly overweight, black-haired man with dark blue eyes says. He grabs a few small leather, drawstring pouches from a larger bag sitting behind the counter, and grabs a handful of each of the herbs to stuff into them before tossing them over his shoulder to Mizu, who catches them with a smile.

"He's very...uh, _hyper_," the boy whispers, handing the pouches to Kiiru and Sakura. "I think all the herbs go to his head."

The mystified pair takes the bags slowly, and continues to stare at the man rushing around the temporary shop he'd set up as they place them in their packs. The village had concentrated on getting the huts to be used for living areas up first, then had started on the ones to be used for trade. As a result, several buildings were only partially finished, and Habigaku's was one of them.

The herbalist had spent most of his time trying to replace his stores, which had been lost when the villagers fled the tora. Right now, the shop was pretty much a lean-to over-looking a few tables that held several jars, which contained various fresh, dried, or blended medicines, or plain herbs, plants, and animal parts. The man kept a wider variety of remedies in his hut, but the most commonly needed items were readily accessible.

"What else do you think you'll need...hrmmm? Grandmother told Kierya to tell me to give you whatever you'd like," Habigaku says, disappearing through a covered doorway and back into his hut. He returns a few minutes later, holding two small bottles each toward Kiiru and Sakura.

"What are these for?" the miko asks, turning one bottle slowly in each hand. The one in her left is the length of her hand, but only an inch or so in diameter. It contains a clear, bright red liquid, with gold particles floating in it. The girl's other hand holds a shorter bottle that is twice the width of the first. It seems to contain two liquids, as the top of the bottle is a very dark blue color, while the bottom half is dark green. Sakura has to hold the glass up to the light shining in under the lean-to to see the 'line' where the two liquids meet. The herbalist smiles.

"The red liquid restores your energy. Even if you have been fighting all day, and are barely able to move, as long as you are physically able--meaning, you have no serious injuries and are just exhausted--you can drink this concoction and it will be as if you just woke up that morning."

Habigaku grins again as the miko and the hanyou stare at him with wide eyes. "This potion is worth even more than the first one," he says, pointing to the two-toned bottle. "It has the power to heal _any_ wound--no matter how bad--in minutes. Broken bones, severe lacerations, a collapsed lung... It's even said that one could actually sever a hand or even an arm, and the contents of this little bottle would be able to reattach the limb. Take care of those--they're the only two I've ever made; it takes 10 years before the tonic is ready for use."

Kiiru makes a sound like he's choking, while Sakura's hands start shaking. "We...we can't take these," the half-demon says, trying to hand the bottles back. Habigaku puts his hands up, palms facing the boy.

"No. They're my gift to you--for killing the crocodile. He...he injured my daughter...when we first came to the valley. If Kierya hadn't been there, I would have lost Tsuite. Please take them. No telling how much longer it would have been before we were able to defeat the wani," the herbalist says. The man's eyes mist over for a few seconds before he snaps out of his reverie and smiles again.

Kiiru and Sakura exchange a worried look before the pair nods. "A...alright," the girl whispers, nodding a thank you at the short man before she lifts the flap on her pack. She's about to place the bottles beside the other herbs when she suddenly changes her mind and puts them in the pocket underneath the flap instead. The three males stare for a few seconds at the bottles that seemingly vanished into thin air, before Kiiru does the same with his own bottles. Mizu and Habigaku continue to look extremely confused.

"Something Grandmother came up with?" Mizu asks, lifting the fold on the half-demon's bag. He frowns slightly when he doesn't see anything.

"Yes," Kiiru answers, not giving any more information than that. The boy shrugs his shoulders after a minute and turns back to the herbalist.

"Is that anything else, Habigaku?" he asks. "I need to get Kiiru and Sakura some other things before the feast tonight, and I wanted to show them the graveyard. We didn't get over there yesterday."

The man shakes his head. "No--those were the last. I'll send Tsuite over to their hut with food supplies later on. Here is the information on the medicines I've given you," Habigaku says, pulling a roll of parchment out of his pocket and beginning to scribble instructions across it. "I suggest that you read this before you actually need to use potions," he says, smiling again.

Sakura takes the paper and places in her bag, thinking that the man has _definitely_ been doing this trade for too long, as the herbalist couldn't seem to _stop_ smiling. "Thank you. We can't say how grateful we are for your generosity," the girl says. Kiiru nods.

"Yes. Thank you," he whispers.

The miko glances sideways at her hanyou companion, and hides the frown threatening to form on her face. Kiiru had been very quiet after Grandmother had told them about 'half-breeds,' even after Sakura had hugged the boy. He seemed to be off in his own world for the rest of the morning, and ate very little lunch. The witch had dismissed them afterward, saying she would speak to them later that night, and sending Keiko out to retreive Kierya. Mizu had met them on the path from Grandmother's hut and taken them to the herbalist's place. The girl reaches over and takes the boy's hand in her own, squeezing it gently. Kiiru turns to her and smiles, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. Sakura feels a small pain in her chest at the look in his amber gaze.

"You're welcome," Habigaku replies, bowing. His eyes shift to a woman with a toddler, who is standing just outside. The child is coughing and crying at the same time. "I will see you later," the man says, turning toward the woman. "Can I help you?"

"Ready to go?" Mizu asks, as the herbalist begins speaking to his next customer. The boy walks outside into the sunshine, and waits for the pair to join him.

"Come on, Kiiru," Sakura says, pulling the hanyou behind her as she follows the young, dark-haired man through the village.

* * *

Decided to stop here; it was a pretty good place to end the chap. I'm double updating this story, so the next chap will--hopefully--be up tomorrow. And I'm thinking about triple updating it. :) Lucky people. I have to make up for not having updated for a month. I feel soo bad! Stupid life... Oh, I know there are _lots_ of loose ends, but that's the whole point. :) 


	11. The Night Before

Here's #11. Ugh. This one didn't want to flow so well. I don't know why. Anyways, hope it came out alright. Oh, I keep forgetting to thank my reviewers, so I going to do that now. :)

**chocolateWHERE, inuepsfin, Kristin Sharp, trueBelle, crazylady#1, kumikonhon, sno-man80, HeraQueenofdGods**

Thank you all so much. You have no idea how happy your reviews make me! I get all smiley and people are like: 'What is she on?' I have the best days...

Oh, I know the plot's been moving a little slow, but I'm gonna try to speed it up a bit. Anyways, on with the story!

* * *

"Anything?"

"No."

Sango sighs. _The potion should be working by now. Why isn't it!?_

The tajiya buries her head in her hands and stomps one foot on the ground in frustration, making Koga jump a little. Kaede, Hakkaku, and Ginta merely stare with depressed looks on their faces, while Shippo sleeps on beside Kilala--oblivious. Miroku places a hand on her shoulder.

"Give it time, Sango," he says gently.

"I don't want to give it time Miroku! I want to find our friends!" she yells, tears now falling down her cheeks as she glares at the monk. Miroku pulls her into a hug.

"We can't _make_ Koga or Shippo remember things faster. And even if we could, they probably won't be able to tell us something we don't already know." The hoshin pauses before speaking his next words. "We may just have to wait until Kagome and Inuyasha return on their own."

Sango sniffles a few times before leaning away from her fiancé. She looks up at him with teary eyes. "I just...I need to do _something_, Miroku. I can't just sit around here waiting. Isn't there anything we can do?"

The monk watches the girl pleading with him for several minutes before he sighs. "We could try to find the demon, I suppose. But I don't think that would do any good," he replies.

The tajiya stares blankly before nodding and laying her head against his chest again. "But it's something," she whispers.

----------------------

"I wonder how this village does celebrations," Sakura says, lying down on her mat and turning to the silver-haired boy beside her.

The miko and the hanyou were back in their hut, Mizu having just finished showing them the graveyard the children had found not long after the move to the valley. The space was located farther past Grandmother's hut, about another half-hour's walk. The far side of the graveyard signaled the end of the valley, and was surrounded by mountain walls that were a few hundred feet high. The area obviously used to be a place for dying demons to come in their final hours, as skeletons of varying sizes dotted the stony landscape.

Stunted plants covered the ground between the bones and rocks, and the sky there seemed to be a permanently brownish-gray color. Sakura had asked why the children liked to play there, and Mizu replied that, besides being able to climb and hide between the demon's remains, they sometimes found treasures. The miko had asked what that meant, and the boy had told her that the youkai would bring their possessions with them to die, and the objects were still there. He pulled out a small jeweled dagger then, and showed it to the pair.

Everything had to be run by Grandmother or Kierya before the kids were allowed to have the objects they found, but half of the villagers weapons and many other supplies had been discovered there, including a decent amount of wealth. It was surprisingly good luck that the village had stumbled on the place.

Kiiru shrugs. "Don't know. Probably lots of food...maybe some sake." The hanyou stops talking and shifts the one leg he had upright to the floor, crossing it with his other one and putting his hands in his sleeves. He stares at the ceiling before speaking again. "I'm going to get drunk, Sakura." The girl gawks at him.

"_Excuse_ me?"

"You heard me. Drunk. Plastered. Sot to hell. I need it. After what Grandmother told us... I need to take my mind off it somehow; that's all I've been thinking about since this morning. And...I'm going into battle tomorrow...," the boy says quietly.

Sakura frowns. "So you decided to go with them then?" Kiiru nods.

"Yes. Knowing the reason why Kierya asked for my help, I can't just leave without doing something." The hanyou sighs. "I just hope the meeting goes the way we want it to..."

The miko watches the boy beside her for several minutes, until Kiiru turns to her with a somber expression, and Sakura suddenly realizes that he's scared. Of tomorrow or when they would leave the village, or simply because he couldn't remember anything before yesterday morning, she doesn't know. But the half-demon before her was definitely afraid of something.

Sakura slowly sits up on her mat, then slides across the floor on her knees to the boy, stopping behind him. Kiiru watches her with his eyes, but doesn't turn his head as the girl wraps her arms around his neck and leans against his back, hugging him tightly. Neither says a word as evening slowly descends on the valley.

---------------------------------

"Kierya? Can I have a word with you?"

The kitsune turns her head and almost drops the candied apple she'd been eating. Sakura is standing just behind the log the demoness was sitting on, a worried frown on her face. The fox fights the urge to walk away, and slowly nods. The miko sits down on the fallen tree and brings her feet up in front of her, so that her knees are drawn up. She rests her chin on them.

"Actually...I wanted to ask a favor...," she whispers, turning her head toward the group of men standing a little ways away, their sake glasses held high in their hands as they toasted something that sounded like, 'A shot full of pigeen and a sprig of touplay.'

The girl shakes her head. _Maybe they know what they're trying to say..._ she thinks, frowning at the hanyou again.

Kiiru slams back his drink and asks for another, a large grin on his face despite the shaking of his hand. Habigaku doesn't hesitate to answer the half-demon's request, and happily fills his glass again, which the boy immediately swallows. Kiiru then drops his cup--which no one else notices, as they're all too drunk right now--then turns to Sakura and waves both arms at her, smiling widely.

"Sakura! SAKURA!"

The miko drops her legs and stares as Kiiru falls to all fours and proceeds to _hop_ toward her, landing on his knees beside the miko. "Hey, Sa...kur...a," he mumbles, making an attempt to hug the girl around the waist before his face falls into her lap. She hears him snoring lightly less than a minute later, and shakes her head at the hanyou, pushing his bangs out of his face.

"You care about him a great deal," Kierya says quietly. Sakura starts. She'd forgotten about the demon beside her.

The miko considers the vixen's question for a few seconds before she nods. "Yes," she replies, lightly stroking the boy's cheek as he sleeps. Sakura is wondering how she's supposed to get the half-demon back to the hut when Kierya speaks again.

"What did you want to ask me?"

The miko looks up at the kitsune, noticing the annoyed but curious expression on the youkai's face. Sakura takes a deep breath before answering. "I...just wanted to ask if you'd...if you'd keep an eye on him tomorrow...Kierya," the girl whispers, glancing back down at the hanyou lying in her lap. She hears an quick intake of breath from the fox.

"Why?" she asks a minute later. "Kiiru can take care of himself--can't he?"

Sakura looks back up to see a frown has formed on Kierya's lips. The demoness is obviously wondering if she's made the right decision in asking the hanyou to help.

"Yes. But I'd feel...I'd worry less if...if I _knew_..."

The young priestess tries to make her expression slightly pained, as if it hurts her to think about something happening to Kiiru. It actually does, in all honesty, so Sakura doesn't have to work that hard to make her frown believable. The girl closes her eyes and drops her chin to her chest, bringing her other hand up to wipe away a real tear that has managed to escape down the girl's cheek. She jumps when she feels a hand on her shoulder.

"I will watch him," Kierya says softly. Sakura gives the vixen a small smile as she glances back up.

"Thank you."

The two women sit in silence--ignoring the lightly snoring hanyou between them--and watch the festivities taking place. Several small fires had been lit around the village, and a dozen or so humans or demons were gathered around each one. Everyone was either laughing or immersed in a discussion; the men that Kiiru had been drinking had dispersed to find other companions.

Across some of the fires were various sorts of roasting meat: fish, pork, chicken; others held different vegetables or fruit. Several chatty women had piled breads and desserts on another table, beside the items that had finished cooking.

Sakura and Kiiru were wearing the ceremonial robes the villagers had given them, and everyone else had changed from their normal daily wear to join them. Blues, pinks, reds, and purples were mixed with bright greens, yellows, and white, so that every man, woman, or child seemed to glow in the light from the fires.

Older children just entering their teen years meandered from group to group, trying to join the adults discussions, but not quite able to understand the conversations yet. Mizu and a few other boys had been compelled to serve as runners, and went back and forth between the villagers with platters of food, while the girls their age replaced empty containers of sake with full ones.

Younger kids that had not yet fallen asleep simply ran between everyone else, their laughter echoing in the clear night sky that was dotted with hundreds of twinkling stars. Above all other sounds was the deep, constant thrumming of a drum; the twittering notes of a flute; the twang of strings plucked on a zither. Sakura thought that she had never seen anything like it.

"Kierya?" the miko asks slowly.

The kitsune takes a minute to speak, wondering why the girl beside her suddenly felt the urge to talk. She shifts her gaze and speaks, hiding her uneasiness.

"Yes, priestess?" she says, trying her best to sound respectful.

Sakura looks down at the hanyou in her lap as he turns his head toward her stomach, his arms now wrapped around her waist. The boy mumbles her name and then smiles before settling back down, his fangs just barely showing beneath his upper lip. The miko brings one hand up to his ear and begins rubbing it gently, the soft fur between her fingers helping to calm her concern for him.

"I wanted to ask. You...Kiiru couldn't seem to keep his eyes off you when we first arrived. Is...were you using..."

"I was using some of my magic, yes," Kierya replies. She tries to keep her voice emotionless as she speaks, but a hint of sadness finds it's way between her words. "It was only to get the half-demon to look at me. Anything more would have been his own doing." Sakura looks up as the vixen pauses. "Unfortunately for me, he was not interested," she whispers, glancing briefly at the hanyou.

The miko feels her cheeks warming and quickly looks away, noticing that Grandmother had finally appeared, and was speaking to Maru about something. The boy looks in their direction briefly before turning back to the conversation. Sakura feels a hint of a smile on her face.

"What about Maru?" she asks softly. Kierya frowns.

"What about him for what?"

Sakura turns to the fox with an amused grin, her eyes narrowed slightly. The kitsune continues to frown, waiting for an answer. "He's not...attached--is he?" the girl prompts.

Kierya takes a few seconds to process the girl's words before she turns to the dark-haired man across the clearing, who just happens to be staring at them again. He quickly looks away, and Sakura hears a gasp from the vixen.

"Maru?! Marhanabachi? Wh...why would...?"

"Because everytime I see him, he's watching you. And he seems more than pleased that Kiiru already has someone," Sakura replies. _At least, that's what they think..._

The kitsune continues to stare blankly at the miko for several more minutes before she looks away. "He is a human," she says, as if this explains everything. Sakura hides her grin.

"So? Several demons already have human mates. And he's not unattractive. He's quite nice, actually." The miko looks around at the the villagers again, smiling as she watches Mirai playing a game with stones with some other children. She turns back to Kierya when the fox speaks.

"He is Grandmother's kin, then. It would be inappropriate." Sakura feels her lips twitch. _She's making excuses..._

"Have you asked Grandmother?"

"Asked me what, child?" The kitsune and the priestess turn as the witch comes up behind them.

"Nothing," Kierya says flatly, standing up. "If you will excuse me, Grandmother. I need to check on some things for tomorrow." She nods her head at Sakura before turning away.

"Think about it, Keirya," the miko whispers, smiling when the vixen pauses in her stride before disappearing into the crowd.

"What is she supposed to think about?" Grandmother asks, settling herself on the log where Kierya had been. Keiko immediately jumps to the woman's lap.

Sakura grins. "Nothing important. Are you having fun?"

Grandmother nods, hiding the small smile that had crossed her face. "Yes. It has been a long time since we have celebrated. It is good for them," she says, waving one hand vaguely. "How about you, child?" she asks, glancing down at the hanyou that is still sleeping in Sakura's lap. The girl sighs.

"Ok--I guess. Kiiru has been upset since this morning--obviously. And he's going tomorrow," she whispers, running her hands through the boy's bangs. The hanyou continues to snore lightly, unaware of the activity around him.

"Yes. I know." Sakura looks up as the witch sighs. "I have known since you arrived, but I didn't want to influence his decision."

The miko nods. "It was difficult, I think, to decide. I would have helped also, if I wasn't still injured and if Kierya had asked me," Sakura says, glancing into the crowd to find the kitsune. She looks around for a minute, but can't find the vixen anywhere. "Do you think they will try to come, Grandmother?" the girl whispers.

The older woman is silent for several minutes before she speaks. "If Kierya and the others cannot..._convince_ the tora, I believe that they will. I do not know what they were after, but it seems that they didn't find it in the village. Our scouts saw the first only a mile from the river." Grandmother looks around, taking in the celebration going on around her. "I do not wish to move again..."

Sakura's face falls at the sorrow on the witch's face. The woman was afraid that the demons were going to follow the villagers to the new location, continuing their 'search.' If the tigers had recuited the youkai that already lived in the previous village when they came, they would be very difficult to defeat. The miko hopes it won't come to that, though. This time the villagers would be ready.

"Well, Grandmother. I think I'm going to call it a night," Sakura says, stretching her arms over her head. She frowns down at the hanyou still snoring in her lap. The witch chuckles quietly.

"Nigatsu, please, Kokei," she says, patting the cat on the head before the feline runs off. She turns to Sakura. "The elk will take the boy back to your hut. He should be able to sleep it off in a few hours." The miko nods.

"Thank you, Grandmother. Hopefully Kiiru will be ready for tomorrow."

The witch nods, but doesn't smile as the elk comes and picks up the hanyou to take him to the hut. The miko stands, but is stopped when the witch calls to her.

"Child?"

"Yes, Grandmother?"

The older woman hesitates a few seconds before speaking. "The necklace you wear. Keep it close, young priestess."

Sakura frowns. Neither she nor Kiiru had mentioned the bottle hanging around her neck, nor had the girl shown it to anyone. She didn't know why, though. "What do you mean?" she asks.

Grandmother bows her head as she speaks again. "It holds a great deal of power. Power that should not fall into evil hands. Keep it safe," she whispers, looking back up.

The girl pales a little at the witch's intense stare before she nods. Sakura fidgets in place as Grandmother continues to remain silent, before mumbling a quick 'Goodnight,' and following the pair of demons into the night.

Grandmother places her hand on the neko in her lap, a sigh leaving the woman's lips as she stares sadly at the trio disappearing into the darkness.

_-----------------------_

_Why...why am I running?_

Sakura is about to stop, when she trips over something and goes crashing to the ground instead. The girl hears a whisting noise over her head, then a deep voice growl something to her. She stands and starts running in the opposite direction, a sense of panic coming over the miko as the thing that's pursuing her gets closer. It speaks again, and this time she hears it clearly.

"Prepare yourself!"

_What? Prepare myself for what?_

Sakura looks up and sees a dark shadow directly above her, a grunt-like noise echoing from it as the girl falls to the ground again. The miko sits up and turns around, her eyes widening by the deep gouges that have been torn into the earth where she was just standing.

As Sakura tries to still her fast-beating heart, she hears the voice laugh and say, "Now it's mine!" The girl turns her head toward it, at the same time that small bright lights go flying over her head. The thing that was after her glides to the ground, and pulls on the beads that have just encircled his neck.

Staring in horror, Sakura looks up, her eyes widening as a scream rips from her throat...

The panicked girl thrashes on her sleeping mat, trying to wake from her nightmare. She feels someone shaking her shoulders a few seconds later, and opens her eyes to see Chushin staring worredly at her.

"Sakura? Miss, what's wrong?" the man asks, helping the miko into a sitting position. The girl can feel tears starting to well in her eyes, but manages to push them back.

"Just...it was just a dream, Chushin. Just a nightmare. I'll...I'll be fine in a few minutes...," she says, looking away and waving one arm as if nothing was wrong. The man frowns at her.

"Are you sure? Because that was quite a yell you just let out. Scared my guards witless."

Sakura forces a smile. "Yeah, Chushin. I'll be fine. You can go back to your men, now."

The girl rearranges her blanket and lays back down, snuggling underneath it. Chushin gives her a wary look but stands and exits the hut. As soon as he's gone, Sakura breaks down, burying her face against the mat.

_He...he...Kiiru was trying to...he was gonna..._

The girl sobs silently, hoping that the guards won't come back. She opens her eyes for a few seconds to see that the half-demon's mat is empty, and sighs her relief before breaking down again. The girl continues to cry until light starts to enter through one of the small windows.

_He already left with Kierya and the others, but...what am I going to do? _

Sakura sits up on her mat and wipes her tears away, bringing her knees up to meet her chin. She begins to argue with herself.

_I...I can't stay...what about when Kiiru comes back? What will he do to me then?_

_Stupid! The boy won't hurt you! He __**likes**__ you! What if it was just a misunderstanding?_

_A misunderstanding?! How could someone trying to kill you be a 'misunderstanding'?_

_I don't know, but he hasn't tried to hurt you here..._

_That's because he doesn't remember! What about when he gets his memory back? Am I just going to sit around and wait for him to...to..._

Sakura closes her eyes as tears start to flow down her cheeks, an image of the hanyou taking a swipe at her with his claws fresh in her mind.

_Stop this! It's crazy! You __**know**..._

_I don't __**know**__ anything! I don't know what's true and what isn't! That dream could be just that--a dream--nothing more. Or it could be a memory. Either way, it doesn't matter. Because right now I don't know what to believe! I just know that I'm scared to death of him coming back and finding me!_

The miko makes her decision right then. She stands and retrieves her pack, removing the clean and mended clothes she had been wearing when she woke up and switching them with the ceremonial ones. Sakura packs as much food as she can into her bag and slings her bow and quiver over the opposite shoulder as her pack before silently leaving the hut.

The girl starts to head toward the waterfall opening, but stops suddenly when she sees Chushin and two other men heading toward her. Sakura quickly ducks behind a near hut and waits until they pass before she starts to sneak back out. She pauses, wondering if the main route into the village was the best way to go.

_Hardly anyone ever leaves...they don't really have a reason to. I'll surely be seen if I go that way, and I don't want anyone to notice me missing until I'm a long ways off. But how am I going to get out, and how can I get away from here quickly?_

The girl frowns at the ground, trying to formulate some sort of plan. A small pile of rocks is lying to one side--part of the construction of the building behind it. Sakura looks up at the hole in the wall that hadn't been completed, and suddenly knows her way out.

Standing up, the miko crosses two rows of huts, heading for the second entrance to the village that had just been broken through. She hides again as an older woman emerges from her hut, stretching and yawning before heading through the blue-grey fog that is starting to lift.

_I need to hurry if I don't want to be seen..._ the girl thinks. She keeps her mind focused so that it doesn't stray back to the reason she was leaving. A sudden stomp behind her almost makes the miko cry out.

Sakura turns in her crouch and realizes that she was hiding behind a stable. A large white stallion is staring over the gate at her, his breath making tiny clouds in the air as he breathes. The girl can see herself in the horse's dark eyes.

Sakura almost laughs. She had completely forgotten about the mare that Grandmother had said she could use, and decides now that she will take the witch up on her offer.

Checking for any other people that might be up this early, the girl slowly works her way among the homes and businesses until she reaches the edge of the village. Stopping behind the last hut, Sakura waits for several minutes before deciding that the coast is clear and sprinting toward Grandmother's hut.

She finds the mare beside the hut, already grazing in the early dawn light. Sakura speaks soft words to the roan as she walks toward it, but the horse doesn't seem to find anything unusual about the girl. She sniffs at the miko's palm, blinking several times before she snorts and goes back to grazing.

Sakura finds the mare's bridle on a peg on the outside of Grandmother's hut and somehow manages to slip it on the equine's head, wondering if she'll be able to ride bareback, since there's no saddle. She pulls gently on the reins, and is surprised when the horse willingly follows her.

The two-some walks away from the hut and skirts the outside of the village to the second entrance. It takes the pair the better part of an hour to work their way between the boulders and debris and small rivulets of water to the outside, but Sakura finally sees light ahead, and gives out a relieved sigh as the sun's rays hit her face.

Stopping a moment to fill a waterskin from the river that runs down to the lake beside the main entrance, Sakura lets the mare drink and grabs a few handfuls of water herself. She then leads the horse to a good-sized boulder and mounts with some difficulty before urging the mare into a trot and disappearing into the forest.

* * *

Did ya see that coming? Bet not... 


	12. Clash With The Tora

Ugggghh... This chap was sooo hard to write, and I haven't the vaguest idea why. I've also thought of about a dozen questions while proofreading it, but I'm not going to mention them unless someone asks. I tried to make the chap easy to follow, but we'll see... Oh, and I'm starting on #13 now, b/c I need to get this part down before I forget it, plus...I need to get the story moving faster. Otherwise, it may end up being 50+ chaps long. Would that bother anybody? Hrmmm...rambling now...

* * *

Sakura hugs her knees to chest, rocking back and forth while she sobs quietly. The small fire the girl had managed to start burns softly a few feet away, while the mare lies behind the girl, sleepy snorts echoing in the darkness.

It is evening of the second day Sakura and the mare she had dubbed _Kuri_ had been traveling, and both females were worn out. The miko had pushed the pair of them hard, trying to put as much distance between herself and the village as possible.

The duo had been lucky. They'd only encountered a few small demons on their trek through the forest, which Sakura had taken care of with her bow. And they hadn't seen any animals larger than a rabbit.

The girl didn't know how far they'd traveled, but when a storm threatened overhead, she decided to take shelter in a small cave and rest until the skies had cleared. That was several hours ago.

Kuri had immediately laid down, her large brown eyes slowly blinking shut after only a few minutes. Sakura had built the fire, then changed into her robes so that her other clothes could dry. The rain had started just before they'd entered the cave, and had come down so fiercely that both the girl and the horse were soaked in a matter of seconds.

After spreading her clothes out, the miko had taken out a small loaf of bread, but only taken a few bites before she realized she wasn't hungry. Sakura had simply sat and gazed at the fire flickering in front of her then, her mind wandering back to the boy with the cute ears.

It was then that Sakura realized she had made a terrible mistake.

_I shouldn't have left..._ the girl thinks, dropping her head to her knees and shaking it back and forth as she rocks. Tears slip off the girl's face and soak into the sleeves of her robe.

_Kiiru trusted me...and I just left him...alone...while he went off to fight..._

The miko lifts her head and wipes her sleeve across her face to dry her eyes, but more tears immediately replace the ones she'd just gotten rid of. The girl bites her bottom lip in an attempt to stem their flow. It doesn't work.

Once the miko's fear had faded, her guilt had taken over. It had taken Sakura almost a day to realize that Kiiru would never harm her; that her dream must have been just that, or an old memory that didn't have bearing anymore.

The boy obviously cared for her, liked her, even, and had saved her life twice. Besides that, the hanyou was the only person she felt she had any connection to.

And she had run away from him. Without an explanation.

Sakura continues to cry quietly, wishing that she could return to the village, and Kiiru. But the miko hadn't been paying attention when she'd left, and didn't know how to return to the path behind the waterfall. She could spend days wandering around and never find it.

Trying to still her confused mind, the girl gazes past the fire to the gale outside, watching the rain coming down in sheets, while the wind makes a whistling noise just outside the entrance. Sakura vaguely see the outline of a tree bending sideways, before a small pinpoint of light gets her attention.

Frowning, the girl squints to focus on the red light, tilting her head to the side as she tries to figure out what it could be. Her eyes widen as the point becomes a line, and comes directly into the cave--at her. It disappears under the miko's sleeve.

Confused, Sakura pushes up material, and gasps. The bracelet that Grandmother had given her is lit by a soft red glow, and is connected to something outside the cave by the line of light. Swallowing, the miko trails the line with her eyes, her breath catching in her throat when she sees who is at the end of it.

The line disappears as she gazes at the soaked figure standing in the cave entrance, his silver hair and red robes dripping into a fast-growing puddle beneath the boy's bare feet. The light from the fire makes the hanyou's golden eyes burn brightly in the dark space, while glistening fangs show through lips pulled back in a sneer. Sakura can hear a low rumble floating through the heavy air surrounding her.

She flinches when the boy growls her name, betrayal evident in his tone.

"Sakura..."

§§§§§§§§

_48 Hours Earlier..._

Kiiru smiles to himself as he gazes softly at the girl, her mouth open slightly as she sleeps. The boy takes in the dark, disheveled locks that are making a halo around her face, and the way Sakura's lashes are fluttering lightly against her cheeks, and his smile widens.

"Are you coming, Kiiru?"

The half-demon rolls his eyes impatiently as Kin'iro calls from outside the hut. He walks over to doorway, placing one hand to his head as a sharp pain flashes across his temples.

_I shouldn't have had that much sake last night..._ he thinks, rubbing the spots furiously. He sighs, and responds to the eagles' question.

"Just a minute," he gruffly replies, looking down at the miko again. Another smile crosses his face as the girl turns on her side, her arms under her head. She wordlessly mouths the boys' name, and Kiiru feels his heart thump in his chest at the movement.

Encouraged about the days ahead, the hanyou quickly kneels and places a kiss on the girl's cheek, his lips lingering against her warm, soft skin for a moment. Pulling away, Kiiru makes a silent promise to himself to come back to this beautiful, sweet angel he was blessed enough to know. Even if he couldn't remember her. Yet.

His heart and mind lightened considerably from the day before, Kiiru stands and takes his leave of the hut, disappearing into the inky black of early morning, more than a dozen other figures melding into the darkness beside him.

------------------

"There. That opening between the trees. That's where we'll meet them."

Kierya points down the hillside, toward the near end of what had once been her home. The area is lying in ruins, except for a few huts at one end that had been spared by the tora. One of them is Grandmother's, the kitsune notes to herself, noticing the lack of damage to the witch's dwelling. She looks back at the youkai gathered behind her, signaling to Kin'iro and Oshaberi, a saru half-demon. The eagle and monkey nod, then turn from the cliff edge that the group was gathered on, disappearing back into the forest.

The village was located one mile from their current position--southward down the mountain, and a little to the east--between the forks of two rivers. The group had elected this outcropping as a base, as it was only a few minutes by foot to the village, but was hidden from eyes looking up the mountainside.

Not that they'd need a base for very long, according to Nigatsu. The elk and his brother, Fuyu, had just returned from a scouting expedition to the village, to estimate the number of enemies they were facing. The hirajika's had come back with bad news.

There were more than thirty tora, and an additional 20-30 other assorted youkai. The news got worse.

The demons were on the move.

Kierya had been both shocked and angry. The tigers had apparently recruited others besides the demons from her village, and were now headed their way. The demoness' original plan had been to illusion herself and take Kiiru with her into the village while the others stayed behind, since no one would recognize the half-demon. They were to try to reason with the tora, or at least dissuade them from going after the village again. As a last resort, the group was to give the tigers whatever they were after, if they could.

It was now mid-afternoon, and it had taken the vixen's group of youkai and hanyou since before dawn to reach the old village. They had run all day and were tired, though not exhausted. Kierya had wanted to rest overnight, then head into the village the next morning, though now she had to change her plan completely.

"Are you ready?" she asks, rising from her kneeling position and double-checking the naginata strapped to her back. She doesn't bother to turn around as murmurs of assent float toward her. Nodding, the vixen heads down the hillside, walking at a brisk pace.

Kiiru fingers the hilt of his sword and pulls alongside the kitsune. The pair walks in silence for a moment before he breaks it.

"What do you think they're after?" he asks.

The boy notices that several conversations behind him have stopped, in order to hear Kierya's answer. The fox seemingly ignores him, continuing to keep quiet as she moves.

After several minutes, the deep, steady rhythm of many feet walking reaches their ears, and Kierya stops.

"Something that they cannot have," the kitsune whispers.

Kiiru raises his brows at her answer, then turns to the nearest demon. Konomi--a risu--shrugs and stares at the vixen's crouching form with the same expression as the hanyou. The pair watchies silently as Kierya crawls slowly forward several feet to peer between a row of low-lying bushes.

"I don't know, Kiiru," the squirrel says, removing two ornate chakras from their place on the demon's hip. She shakes her head slowly, the dark pigtails on either side swinging her hair over her shoulders.

Kiiru eyes the two weapons in the doe's hands and frowns. The simple round objects didn't look like much; they were just flattened disks with a large hole in the middle, so that only a few inches of the metal remained to hold on to--like big circles.

The catch was that the outer edges of the _chakras_ were sharpened. The hanyou guesses that it takes a great amount of skill to use those weapons, as one could wield them like daggers, or throw them like _shuriken_. Kiiru thinks that he'd rather have a throwing star aimed at him, rather than a chakra.

Konomi sees the half-demon's frown and grins, twirling one weapon around each of her wrists. Kiiru watches her with alarm.

"You learn quickly," she whispers, smiling again at the wide eyes the hanyou is giving her. "You have to. Otherwise..."

Kiiru stares at the squirrel as if she's lost her mind. Konomi just laughs lightly and walks past him, to where Kierya is beckoning them forward. The hanyou hesitates a second before falling in behind the females, glancing back at the 10 individuals following them.

_15? Fifteen against 50?_

Fighting an overwhelming sense of nervousness, Kiiru tries to imagine what the kitsune's plan is now, since she hadn't counted on the additional recruits to the tora's numbers. The vixen had thought it would just be the original dozen tigers, plus the youkai that had turned traitor. Two dozen, at the most. Not the small army now advancing toward them.

Wrapping his claws tightly around the hilt of his sword, the half-demon closes his eyes, hoping that Kierya had trained the others well. The kitsune had said that most of their best youkai fighters had turned, which left her at a huge disadvantage against the tora. But her group was determined, and that made all the difference.

Grinding his teeth and wishing he'd had time to practice with his sword, Kiiru opens his eyes to see Kierya signaling her group to scatter themselves around the edge of the clearing they had just come to. The hanyou takes up a position between Kierya and a moth demon named Hana. The ga whispers to him as she pulls a katana from the sheath on one hip, and loosens the tie on a small bag on the other.

"Nervous?" she asks, her dark red eyes betraying her own. Kiiru shrugs. "Hopefully Kierya can talk them out of searching for the village. I'm not looking forward to fighting someone who used to be my kin." The hanyou tilts his head sideways, frowning slightly. "You'll see," she whispers, nodding her head across the clearing.

Kiiru turns in that direction, his eyes widening as he sees several tora enter the wide glade, followed by various other demons: a badger, two males that Kiiru thinks are some kind of bird-youkai, three deer, another cat youkai that the hanyou doesn't recognize, and a moth that looks a lot like Hana. He hears the ga growling softly beside him.

"My older brother, Tozan."

Kiiru nods, not taking his golden gaze off the enemies that keep emerging from the forest. The tigers and their recruits form a line opposite the villages fighter's, though their's is much thicker. One tora breaks away, his lips set in a sneer as he walks toward them. Kierya heads to the middle of the grassy clearing, her hands clenched at her sides. Everyone can hear the words they exchange.

"Hello, Kierya," the tiger says, his lips forming a grin.

Kiiru's shock is immediately replaced by a much bigger blow.

"Hello, Shima," the vixen says, glaring at the demon.

The kitsune's line of fighters starts murmuring among themselves, each wondering how Kierya knew the tora she was now facing. The tiger's group doesn't move. Apparently the ones who didn't already know the vixen had been told of her.

Kiiru keeps silent, choosing instead to gauge the fighters he was facing. He figures he can take most of them without even drawing his sword, based on the fact that the younger ones seem to be quite nervous. Several of the youkai are staring at him, confusion on their faces.

_Those must be the ones who sided with the tora..._ he thinks, a seed of anger starting in his chest at the ease with which the demons gave up their friends. The hanyou draws his attention back to Shima, who is speaking again.

"Give it to us, Kierya. You can be part of this, if you cooperate now." The tora grins again, before reaching one clawed hand out, facing upward. His eyes glitter menacingly in the afternoon light.

Kierya sneers and backs away a few feet. "It is not for the likes of you," she growls, raising her left hand to the naginata strapped to her back.

Kiiru thinks that the fox is going to draw her weapon, but Kierya simply wraps her fingers around it. It's at this moment that the half-demon realizes what the tora were after.

_That's why I always seem to be looking at her...That weapon is like the ones Grandmother has in the back room of her hut..._

"Where did Kierya get her weapon?" he asks Hana, who is currently having a glaring contest with her brother on the other side of the clearing.

"What? Oh...uh, I don't know. But she's had it as long as I've known her," the moth replies, not taking her eyes off of her sibling.

"It's been with her since she washed up on the shore of the old village...," Koromi replies from Kiiru's other side. The hanyou turns toward the risu. "...but no one knows where she got it. I asked Grandmother once; she said it was lying beside the fox when she found her, and that it was the first thing Kierya asked about when she woke up. She's had it with her ever since and never lets it out of her sight. Neither one will say anything more about it."

Kiiru nods, then frowns at the kitsune's back. _What could be so important about her weapon... that this many demons would be after it?_

"Come now, Kierya," Shima says, looking down her line of warriors with a smile. "We can do this the hard way...or the easy way."

The kitsune glares for several more seconds before smiling. "Then I choose the hard way."

In a bright flash of light, the vixen disappears from the middle of the glade, reappearing back in her line of youkai. At the same time, several dozen arrows rain down on the other demons, scattering them from the rows they'd been standing in. With a combined and resonant yell, the villages fighters run forward, wielding their weapons before them.

Kiiru feels a strange sense of anticipation take over his body as he sprints across the clearing, his claws and fangs bared. The half-demon is aiming for a row of archers standing in the trees behind the group on the ground.

Dodging several smaller skirmishes, the hanyou injures a few tora and one of the shika he had seen earlier before jumping to the trees. Kierya had asked each of them not to kill the youkai, if they could help it. The group had resentfully agreed, and it was now clear why.

As the inu reaches the branches level with the archers, several of them turn toward him. Kiiru grins, letting a low growl reverberate toward the demons. The nearest ones take aim at the boy, but the hanyou proves too fast for them.

Kiiru quickly dodges their feeble attempts to hit him, slashing at the youkai with his claws and knocking them to the ground with yells of pain and surprise. They immediately turn tail and run back into the forest.

Grinning again, Kiiru turns to the rest of the bowmen, who don't hesitate to retreat. Pouting slightly, the half-demon jumps to the ground and heads for Hae, a lizard demon who is surrounded by half a dozen tora. Kiiru hears the youkai scream before he goes down under the assault from the the tigers.

Paling, Kiiru doesn't even think about what he's doing, drawing his sword and jumping into the fray. He scatters the tora in seconds, knocking them back with the flat edge of the blade. The ones he hadn't hit immediately freeze and stare in awe as the weapon comes back toward them, knocking them backwards several yards.

Kiiru helps Hae to his feet, supporting the tokage with one arm. The demons turn around to see half of the battles have stopped to stare at the silver-haired hanyou dressed in red, weilding the biggest sword any of them have ever seen.

"I think...you scared them," Hae mumbles through clenched teeth.

He suddenly blanches, his yellow-green eyes growing wide as a wave of assorted youkai who had been hanging back emerges from the trees, heading for him and Kiiru.

Growling, the hanyou moves his arm under the tokage's, then jumps straight up in the air. Kiiru hears the lizard gasp, grinning to himself before he yells.

"KIN'IRO!"

Seemingly out of nowhere, the transformed eagle youkai swoops in beneath the two demons, and Kiiru drops onto his back behind Oshaberi, who is firing arrows with deadly speed and accuracy.

This tactic had been agreed upon beforehand. Kin'iro would not be a great advantage on the ground, as he was still young for a demon, and had only just mastered changing into his true form. He could wield a sword well, but would likely be taken down fairly quickly. Along the same lines, Oshaberi was an excellent archer, but was prone to distraction. Both boys had light frames, which would be a liability in a fight.

Therefore, Kierya had decided that those two would stay well away from the actual battle, unless called for. Habigaku had given Kierya several remedies, most of them being quick-healing potions. Any injured demon would be given to Kin'iro and Oshaberi to heal, before entering the battle again.

"Take care of him, guys," Kiiru says, before jumping off the eagle and dropping quickly to the ground. He hears a muffled reply from the saru and a screech from the washi before he lands behind Koromi, who is surrounded by four tora, the badger, and three other risa. She's glaring at one of the latter, her lips set in a sneer.

"You shouldn't have gone, little sister," the oldest says, twirling a pair of _sai_ around his fingers with a grin.

"I don't betray my friends, Kurumi," the squirrel replies, gripping her chakras tighter between her fingers.

"Not even for this?" Kurumi asks teasingly.

Kiiru frowns. It was obvious he had just missed an enlightening piece of the conversation. He hears Koromi growl behind him.

"No, _big brother_," she says disdainfully. "You won't get the weapon or its power. Kierya won't let you."

In a moment the doe disarms her brother, sliding her weapons over the other risa's and yanking them from his grasp. She pays for the quick movement, though, as a line of blood is sprayed over the other demons, from the wounds across her palms.

Ignoring the pain, she stands back-to-back with Kiiru and begins attacking the rest of the youkai, switching to killing mode. The hanyou knows why. He's just seen Nigatsu lying on the ground near the distant treeline, not moving.

Feeling an overwhelming anger surge through his veins, the half-demon knocks down two of the tora, slashing his sword sideways through their bodies. The demon's eyes widen in surprise before they fall, dropping their spears to either side as they drop.

Almost immediately, a loud shout of anger is released by the other two tora, as they withdraw a few feet to wait for the backup Kiiru can see heading toward him and Koromi. He hears the squirrel yell in pain and feels her fall back against him before sliding down his legs to the ground.

Bending low, Kiiru grabs the doe around the waist, jumping over the nayamasu who is wielding a bloody katana and grinning evilly. The hanyou sees one of Koromi's chakras sticking out of her brother's chest as he flips over, landing so that he's facing the badger, the other risa, and the tora that are advancing on him.

"Don't...let them...have it..."

Kiiru glances down at the youkai he's holding, her dark eyes closing slowly as she goes limp in his arms.

"Stupid girl. She should have known she couldn't take me."

The hanyou looks up, his eyes narrowing at the nayamasu, who is smirking. He slowly lowers Koromi to the ground before standing again, both hands wrapped around his sword.

"Never did listen to me. Don't take your eyes off your opponent," he growls, flipping his sword over a few times before brandishing it at Kiiru. The half-demon bares his fangs.

"Is that so?" he says, feeling the same sort of feeling come over him as when he saw Nigatsu.

The badger grins and takes a few steps toward Kiiru, who doesn't back off. Instead, his silver ears swivel to focus on Koromi, who's breathing is rapidly lessening. The hanyou feels a sudden rage that this sweet youkai may not last more than a few minutes if he doesn't get her to Kin'iro and Oshaberi.

Glaring at the tora that have now stopped in front of him, Kiiru frowns as an odd sensation makes his body start to tremble. Quickly glancing down, the half-demon is slightly surprised to see something that looks like wind swirling around his blade.

Feeling a strange smirk coming onto his face, Kiiru doesn't think about what's he's doing, but simply closes his eyes and lets his hands and arms decide his actions.

"_WIND_..._SCAR_!"

Kiiru yells the word as loud as he can, while simultaneously swinging his sword toward the group of youkai before him. The demons look confused for a moment, before a sudden blast of energy is released from Kiiru's sword, and yellow blades of light fly towards them.

In seconds, the small group is obliterated by the hanyou, his attack sending them flying across the clearing. Every other demon stops what they are doing, nearly all the faces turning toward the half-demon paling with fear.

Kiiru doesn't waste time thinking about what he'd just done, but immediately yells for Kin'iro. He sees the eagle swoop low, his golden eyes wide as he hovers above the hanyou. Kiiru bends and lifts Koromi in his arms, jumping to the washi's back.

"What was that?" Oshaberi asks, his voice betraying his awe at the other demon. Kiiru simply snorts and sets the squirrel down gently. "No wonder Kierya wanted you with us," the saru says, eyeing the large sword in the half-demon's right hand.

The hanyou ignores the comment and jumps back to the ground, heading for the kitsune. He glances around quickly as he runs, noting that most of their fighters have disappeared, or are lying on the ground. Silently pleading that the demons are just injured, Kiiru slashes at a pair of hawks that step in his path.

The bird-youkai dodge his attack, then instantly dash forward, swinging their katanas at him. Kiiru blocks, then flips backward as one of the demons sends some kind of black powder at him, which explodes when it hits the ground.

Frowning, Kiiru runs forward when he lands, catching one taka across the shoulder. The bird yells as he goes down, and the hanyou turns to the other hawk. He pales when the youkai suddenly takes to the air, transforming as it jumps upward.

Cursing to himself, Kiiru takes off after him, jumping to the trees to gain height. He glances upward, his eyes widening as he sees that hawk has circled back around and is now diving at Kierya, who is oblivious to the danger coming down on her.

Kiiru jumps back to the ground, sheathing his sword and speeding toward the vixen as fast as he can. He doesn't look at the taka, but concentrates instead on the red ponytail swinging back and forth in front of him.

The hanyou dives as he hears a loud screech above him, catching the kitsune around the waist and tumbling them both end-over-end as a small explosion sounds behind them. The demons roll to a stop and look back, seeing a small crater in the ground, where a very angry hawk has reverted to his human form. He's dirty, but doesn't seem to be injured. The tora and shika that Kierya had been fighting, however, are out cold. The vixen pales a little as she and Kiiru get to their feet.

"And I was supposed to be watching you," she mumbles, dusting the bottom of her robe.

"What?" Kiiru asks, unsheathing his sword as more demons head toward them. He looks around, then sighs, taking a deep breath. He and Kierya are the only ones left from their side, and the tora still have at least a dozen youkai--who are now all headed their way.

The hanyou is trying to decide if he should use the powerful attack that he had used before, when he sees Kierya shake her head out of the corner of his eye, then raise her weapon above her head.

"Stay close to me," the fox says quietly.

Kiiru frowns, and is about to ask why, when the kitsune's eyes start to glow a bright white. Using both hands, Kierya begins to spin the naginata around her head in a circle, while muttering something unintelligible under her breath. The hanyou backs up a few steps, as a wind similar to the one that had surrounded his sword starts to form around the vixen.

Kiiru stares as the weapon continues to spin faster and faster, its owner starting to glow the same as her eyes. Their enemies have stopped a few feet away, wondering what new kind of trick Kierya was playing on them.

The kitsune suddenly stops spinning the weapon, thrusting it blade-down into the ground at her feet. A black inky substance seems to engulf the grass there, before quickly spreading outward in a circle.

The hanyou glances downward, a sense of panic taking hold as the darkness flows beneath his feet. He calms some when nothing happens. Kiiru and Kierya just look as if they're standing on...nothing. As if they're floating on air.

The tora and other demons, however, are staying well-away from the black hole. Not knowing what's going on, they're not taking any chances, and keep backing up around the widening circle.

When almost the entire clearing has been covered by the darkness, the circle stops widening. The only ones "inside" of it now are Kierya, Kiiru, and their fallen comrades, who--the pair is relieved to see--only seem to be injured. The tora and their recruits have taken to the forest, hiding between the trees until they figure out what's going on.

Without warning, the demons of their group suddenly begin speeding toward the pair, some of them with yelps of surprise. When the youkai are all gathered around the kitsune, a loud roaring starts to fill the air, which is shimmering in the darkening light--like it's been heated several degrees.

Kiiru frowns again as he kneels next to Nigatsu, who is finally waking up after being smashed on the head with something. The two males stare as a massive, brown head starts to emerge from the black hole, complete with huge, round ears and an long, enormous snout.

An immense pair of shoulders and body follows behind, and Kiiru can see his enemies almost literally shaking in fear as the rest of the kuma-kami rises, its teeth bared in a ground-shaking roar...

* * *

Blargggg... 


	13. Kierya's Past

Aaargghh! Dang it! I am trying _so _hard to finish the village arc (which is how I've been referring to it lately--though I don't know why) and it is _not_ working. Argghh! Ok...fine now. I was trying to be done this chap, but that ended up not working so well. I should be done with the villagers by the next chap, though. I'd better, or I am going to scream. I just hope you guys like this one. More battle. You find out what came out of the black hole, and sort-of why the naginata is important. Um...is that all? Yeah. Ok...dozo! (Enjoy!)_

* * *

_

What the hell...? 

Kiiru stares with wide eyes as the bear-god emerges from the black hole, it's teeth glinting menacingly in the last rays from the sun. The kuma stands more than fifty feet tall, towering over all of the trees surrounding the glade and making the demons below it seem like nothing more than ants. The only ones who seem to have the slightest idea what's going on are Kierya--who's expression is bordering on boredom--and Shima, who has a shallow cut across his torso, but otherwise seems uninjured. The tora's face is a mask of rage.

Before the hanyou can remove his hands from his ears long enough to ask what's going on, the kuma stops roaring and looks around, seemingly confused. It then glances down to the kitsune, and _grins_.

"Kierya," it says in a booming voice, shaking the ground again. The bear's turquoise eyes twinkle as it stares at the fox.

"Alioth," the vixen replies. She bows low to the kami, who is now standing on solid ground, as the black hole it emerged from has disappeared. Keeping her voice low, Kierya speaks again, raising one brow teasingly. "Bit of a dramatic entrance--wasn't it?"

The bear narrows its eyes, then raises one brow in imitation of the kitsune. Then it raises the other, giving the kuma a surprised look, after which it grins again. The snap of a twig from behind the kami makes it turn it's head.

"Run into some trouble, aye?" Alioth asks after a minute, turning back to Kierya.

The fox nods, but doesn't give any indication of what she may be thinking. Alioth stares at her for another second before chuckling quietly, which is not quiet at all. The deep laughter reverberates around the clearing, making the trees quiver and the air seem to stop. The bear stops laughing and shakes it's head slowly, before a powerful wind encircles it and the kami vanishes in a whirl of white mist.

Before any of the demons can blink at what they've just seen, the kuma reappears in front of Kierya, in a human-shaped and -sized body. The bear is wearing a long, white robe with bell sleeves, a gold rope tied loosely around its waist. The only adornment it has is a matching circlet around its forehead, which is holding back a wave of blue-white hair.

Kiiru stares. Now that the kami is in a human form, he can see that the god is a _girl_. Realizing what he's doing, the hanyou immediately looks toward the kitsune, who is frowning.

"I didn't want to call you, Alioth," she says, handing the naginata to the kuma. The bear takes the weapon slowly--almost reverently--twirling it a few times in the air before holding the naginata blade-up beside her.

"Why did you then, Kierya?" she asks, glancing sideways at Kiiru, who is trying to help Nigatsu to his feet. The bear makes a squealing noise and disappears in a puff of smoke, the weapon falling forward until the vixen catches it.

Kierya's demons wait a few seconds for the bear to reappear, looking to each other in confusion when she doesn't. A loud yelp from the half-demon gets their attention.

"What the hell are you doing?!" he yells, waving his arms around his head. The youkai close to him start snickering as they see what Kiiru is yelling about.

Alioth is now in a very tiny bear form, and is sitting on top of the hanyou's head, each arm holding one silver-furred ear. The kuma is grinning widely.

"Isn't he just the cutest thing?!" she squeals, snuggling down with Kiiru's ears.

The half-demon glares upward, baring his fangs and growling at the kami sitting on his head. He flexes his claws and is slowly reaching them toward the bear--intending to strangle her--when Kierya grabs his wrists. She shakes her head slowly at him, and receives a horrified expression in return.

"But..."

"She's a god, Kiiru. Do you really think you have a choice?"

Kiiru drops his hands as the kitsune releases him, his shoulders sagging as he plops onto the ground, crossing his legs and resting his head on one fist. He scowls at the faces grinning at him. Alioth, on the other hand, seems oblivious to the conversation and keeps hugging the hanyou's ears.

"Alioth? I summoned you because... Well, look," Kierya says, gesturing to the tora, who seem to think it's safe now, and are slowly making their way toward the village's fighters.

Kiiru speaks before the kami can reply, trying to maintain some sort of dignity in his current situation. "There's only 11 left. I could have taken care of them," he snorts, waving his free hand at the sword on his hip.

Kierya lips twitch, then turn downward in a frown. She speaks softly. "I was not concerned with the tora, Kiiru. I summoned Alioth because of them."

The kitsune raises her hand and points one claw at something behind the tigers. The hanyou and half-dozen fighters beside him follow her directions, staring hard at the distant treeline. It takes them a few seconds, but the demons finally see what the fox is talking about.

Just inside the darkening shadows are 4 figures. All four are wearing identical robes, the haori's being dark blue; the hakama's, a light grey. Two carry bows; two, staffs. All four women wear their hair free, and Kiiru frowns as a faint recognition hits him, but he doesn't understand why. Kierya speaks before he can give the idea much thought.

"Could you handle four priestesses, Kiiru?"

The half-demon turns his head, his eyes widening at the expression on the vixen's face. Kierya's blue eyes have darkened considerably with anger, her lips pressed into a flat line and her cheeks flushed. The kitsune's stance is rigid, her hands fisted at her sides. She looks like she's barely restraining herself.

A tiny squeak from the boy's head gets the group's attention. Kiiru can't see her, but Alioth is wearing an expression similar to Kierya's. The bear stands up straight on the hanyou's head, holding the tips of his ears for support. With a quick whirl of his bangs, the kami reappears before them, dressed in her white robe again. She's glaring at the women.

"This...is them?" Alioth asks. The demons can hear controlled rage in the god's voice.

Kierya nods, anger preventing the kitsune from speaking. The bear suddenly grins, her lips pulled back to reveal white fangs, her turquiose eyes narrowed dangerously. "Oh... this is going to be _fun..._"

"What the hell is going on?" Kiiru interrupts. He glances back and forth between the two females, noticing that he's not the only one who's at a loss as to what was happening.

The fox glances sideways at him for a minute before her shoulders sag. Her face falls as she releases a depressed moan.

"It would take too long to explain properly, and we don't exactly have the time right now...," Kierya says, waving one arm behind her to indicate their enemies. "...so I'll give you the short version.

"The _very_ short version," Alioth says, eyeing the mikos that have now left the forest and are slowly making their way across the clearing. The tora and other youkai that are still able to fight stop a few dozen feet from the village's demons, grinning menacingly while they wait. It seems as if their courage has been bolstered by the disappearance of the black hole, and the arrival of the priestesses.

Kierya glances at the women and demons briefly before turning to her fighters. "When I was a child, my parents were killed and I was taken in and raised...by them...," she says flatly, pointing to the mikos. Her comrade's eyes grow wide, but the vixen continues before anyone can speak.

"I didn't find out that they were the ones that killed my otosan and okasan until many years later. The priestesses..._took_ _care_ of me, but they also performed experiments, in an attempt to learn how a _kitsune's_ magic works. I will not tell you about them. Some things even a demon cannot handle..."

Kiiru is among the half of the group that turns and glares at the mikos, their fangs bared. The other half just looks horrified, staring at the fox with disbelieving eyes. Kierya nods, and continues on.

"I could not leave. The mikos had bound me to their shrine with a spell. My only chance of escape was for them to lift the enchantment--which they would never do. Or so I thought. The day came when the priestesses made me a deal: Bring them the weapon of _Alioth, Ruler of Four Seasons_, and they would release me."

A few of the youkai look as if they've had revelations at this point, their eyes widening in surprise as they turn to the kuma still facing the opposite direction. The god somehow seems to notice their stares and turns her head, giving the demons a sideways smirk and wiggling her eyebrows before turning back to the enemy. Kierya continues as if she hadn't noticed.

"I did not question their request; it did not occur to me that Alioth was only supposed to be a myth. A legend told to children to help them sleep. I did not know that the priestesses had no more uses for my life, and were looking for a way to get rid of me without arousing suspiscions from the others."

Kierya stops to nod at the surprised looks the others are giving her. She shakes her head sadly.

"Yes. There were others besides myself. But I do not have time to speak of such matters. I can only let you know that Shima was one of them," the kitsune says, pointing to one of the tora.

The tiger glares angrily at her, flattening his striped ears and baring his fangs while he clutches his spear tightly in both hands. He suddenly turns to the side and whispers something to one of his kin, who nods, then turns and sprints to the mikos. The women stop briefly to listen to the tiger before quickening their step. Kierya hurredly finishes her explanation, pausing only a second to stare at Alioth as she brings the tips of her clawed fingers together, then begins speaking in a language none of them seems to understand.

"Alioth was rumored to reside on Mount Aosora--a mountain so tall that no demon has ever seen the peak. This was where I was sent; where I was supposed to die. The priestesses knew that I would not give up the quest; nor would I return without the weapon. Since Alioth was not supposed to exist, I would never return, and they would have gotten rid of me without questions from the others."

A few of the older youkai nod as the vixen keeps speaking. The miko's plan made sense--however dreadful and unfortunate it may have been.

"What I didn't know was that the priestesses had to remove the spell before I could even leave the shrine grounds. They didn't tell me that I was free from the moment I passed the gate in the outer wall, that I didn't ever have to return, nor did I have to proceed with a futile mission. But I believe they planned it that way," Kierya says, sneering her last words.

Alioth chooses to interrupt at this point, as the priestesses are now even with their demons, and the whole group has turned toward them, a hungry look reflected in their eyes as they stare at the kami.

"Short version: Kierya was dying on my mountain; I saved her and found out the truth of why she was there. I then offered to help her if she swore an oath to me. She agreed, took possession of my _Kicho_, the naginata of _Yon Kisetsu,_ and we came up with a plan to explain her presence at your village."

Eight pairs of eyes turn toward the bear as she stops speaking, awe and shock reflected in their weary depths. Alioth ignores the demon's stares and concentrates instead on the four women before her, who have aligned themselves in front of the other youkai in the clearing. The miko's have formed a circle, and are holding the hand of the woman beside them. Alioth's lips twitch.

"If I should lose it, _**do **__**not**_ let them get my _Kicho_," the kuma says in a low whisper, slowly taking her naginata from the fox.

The god directs her words to all of the demons behind her. From the bear's tone, the youkai instantly understand what would happen if they should let the enemy gain possession of the weapon.

"Is that going to be a problem? I mean, you _are_ a god."

Kierya and the other demons turn, staring at Kiiru as if he's just grown a second head. Alioth, however, simply smiles sideways at the hanyou.

"It shouldn't be. But..._convincing_ these mikos that I am not worth their time may be difficult. Or--more accurately--that their pursuit of my power will be, shall we say..._ detrimental_...to their health."

Kiiru frowns, slightly confused at the bears words. He understood the threat, of course, but something else seemed to be missing.

"What are you two hiding?" he asks, looking from the kitsune to the kuma. The pair exchanges a look before gazing uncomfortably at the ground.

Kierya is about to speak when a sudden burst of bright, yellow light explodes a few feet in front of the kuma. All the demons behind her flinch, then stare in surprise as the invisible barrier that had been surrounding the group for the past several minutes shimmers into view.

"Should have known they'd try something dirty," Alioth mutters, grasping her naginata with both hands as she leaps out of the barrier and runs toward the group of prietesses. Three tora immediately spring toward the bear to meet her.

"The barrier will allow you to come and go at will...," the fox mutters, pulling out a pair katanas that she had been hiding underneath the kami's weapon. "...if you should be hurt or weakened. Kiiru. Since you are the only one who hasn't been injured, please find Kin'iro, Oshaberi, and the rest of the group, and bring them to the barrier," Kierya says before jumping through the silvery bubble and running after the bear-god.

The hanyou stares after the vixen for a minute before a wave of anger washes over him and he turns and stomps in the opposite direction, scowling at the trampled grass beneath his feet. The demons still inside the bubble exchange worried looks before the ones who are able to fight ready their weapons. Nigatsu notices them first.

"KIIRU!"

The half-demon turns his head and barely manages to dodge out of the way before a dozen arrows surrounded by green light fly through the space he had just occupied. Baring his teeth at the archers he had scared off earlier, the hanyou makes a vow to permanently take care of the bastards before he sprints into the forest, sniffing the air for any sign of the eagle and the monkey.

_That's why she sent me. I'm the only one who could find the others fast enough, and handle myself if the enemy should follow..._

Kiiru glances back as he runs, seeing five youkai about a minute or so behind him. He growls low in his throat, altering his path to follow the scent of the washi that had just drifted into his nose from the north.

_We need the reinforcements...just to handle the demons. It'll be up to Kierya and Alioth to take care of the mikos..._

Kiiru takes to the trees, dodging the sickly-looking arrows that keep flying past him. Hiding in the dense foliage of one of the _matsu_ that dots the mountain-side, the hanyou grins evilly as the tigers rush past him, oblivious to the fact that they've just become his prey.

He comes up behind the first tora, knocking him unconscious and out of the tree before the tiger even realizes he's there. The half-demon makes it to the second demon--a shika--and wonders briefly how the deer was able to keep his antlers from tangling among the branches.

Fighting an inappropriate laugh at the image from escaping his lips, Kiiru suddenly recognizes the advantages of the idea, and grabs the youkai's arms in his claws. The shika gives strange cross between a growl and a squeak and immediately starts struggling, yelling for his comrades as Kiiru takes him higher in the branches of the pine.

The deer doesn't stand a chance, as the hanyou has at least double the weight and strength of demon, though the other youkai is taller. He vainly tries to run the red-clad boy through with his antlers before they are tangled so badly in the branches and vines of the upper canopy that he will not be able to escape on his own. The shika aims a kick at Kiiru as the hanyou jumps away, loosing his footing so that he's left dangling from the adornments on his head, cursing audibly to the surrounding forest.

Kiiru is so busy trying not to laugh that he comes within inches of being hit by four arrows aimed at his chest. Flattening himself to the branch he had landed on, the half-demon snarls at the two tora and the taka he had saved Kierya from earlier, before all four demons abruptly freeze. A resounding _boom_ has just echoed from the clearing they had left.

Paling slightly--because the other youkai are now grinning and winking at one another--Kiiru feels a burning sensation in his chest as he gets to his feet, waves of anger sweeping over him at the time he was wasting on these puny demons.

Withdrawing his sword, the half-demon dashes toward the closest tora, surprising all three when he slashes across its chest, the tiger screaming in pain all the way to the ground. Kiiru turns to the second, smirking at the fear that crosses the young youkai's face, though it stands its ground. Or, rather...branch.

The tiger hesitates a moment as Kiiru jumps toward him, bringing his bow up too late, staring in disbelief as his weapon is knocked out of it's hands and tumbles end-over-end to the forest floor. It looks back to the hanyou with wide green eyes. Kiiru points his sword at the tora.

"Run. And if I _ever_ see you again..."

The half-demon doesn't have time to finish his growled words before the tiger bounds away, dashing through the matsu as fast as he can. Kiiru smirks and turns to the hawk, but the last demon is nowhere to be seen.

Frowning, Kiiru glances up, his eyes widening as he sees the taka has changed form again, and is now heading in the direction that Kin'iro's scent is coming from. Cursing under his breath, the hanyou sheaths his sword and jumps to the ground, speeding through the undergrowth.

The eagles' scent becomes more acute within a few minutes, and Kiiru suddenly has to force himself to keep going as he hears another _boom_ from behind him. Fighting his uneasiness, the half-demon starts using the trunks of the trees to propel himself forward, reaching a gap in the pines where several of the trees have been knocked to the ground. He hears a loud screeching as he enters the small cleared area, his golden gaze quickly sweeping the ground to see the worst of his injured companions resting against some trees on the other side. Oshaberi is standing guard in front of them, his bow aimed at the sky. Kiiru raises his eyes when the saru sees him and points, his long brown, finger shaking.

Feeling his stomach muscles clench, Kiiru stares in awe as he watches the hawk and the eagle diving, dodging, grappling, and clawing at each other, Kin'iro doing a surpisingly good job of thwarting the taka's plans to get to the demons on the ground.

Deciding that the washi can handle himself for a few more minutes, Kiiru dashes over the others, yelling as he runs.

"The tora have priestesses with them! Kierya...uh, there's a barrier set up to protect those who can't fight, while the rest of us handle the demons that are left."

The half-demon's words are met with shocked expressions before Hana struggles to her feet, leaning on her katana.

"Let's go," she says, walking away from the group, limping because of the wounds on her lower legs. "I've got some family issues to resolve."

The rest of the demons stand slowly behind the ga, their eyes shining with a sudden determination. The ones who are too injured to move or unconscious are helped by the others.

"Go with them," Kiiru says, looking at Oshaberi. "I'll help Kin'iro, then we'll be right after you."

The saru narrows his eyes for a second before glancing upward, watching his friend dig his talons into the hawk's belly before flipping over backward to dodge the other's sharp beak. He nods to the hanyou.

"He's never really been in a battle," the monkey says, shaking his head a little before he runs after the others.

Kiiru watches the youksai disappear into the trees--hoping that they'll make it to the barrier without running into trouble--before turning his eyes to the battle raging above him.

_How am I going to get up there?_

Kiiru's problem is negated by the sudden presence of a black cloud around the washi's body. The half-demon pales as several small explosions flash inside the cloud, after which a human-sized Kin' iro suddenly appears beneath it, falling quickly toward the ground.

The hanyou takes a few steps forward before he sees the hawk diving at the unconscious eagle, his talons spread wide to slash the young demon. Feeling his anger spike at the injustice, Kiiru doesn't even have time to think before he jumps into the air, withdrawing his sword, and swinging it at the hawk in one swift, fluid movement--yelling as he brings the weapon down.

"WINDSCAR!"

Bright flashes of yellow light fly towards the demon, who seems to pause in mid-air--wings spread wide--before the deadly blades rip through the bird. A muffled scream resounds through the small clearing before the youkai abruptly changes back to its human-form, falling to the ground in a heap.

Kiiru fights the panic welling in his chest as he glances past the taka to Kin'iro, who is lying on the ground a few feet behind the hawk.

The eagle isn't moving.

Sheathing his sword, Kiiru runs forward, sliding to a stop beside the washi, his eyes widening as he sees the many gashes and bruises covering the boy's body, and half of his tunic and breeches missing.

"Kin'...iro?" he asks hesitantly. Kiiru can feels his heart beating quickly in his chest.

"Uuuugggghhhhhhhh..."

The hanyou feels a wave of relief wash over him as he bends down beside the washi, rolling him onto his back. The demon's chest and belly are also covered with wounds, but Kin'iro is breathing--thankfully.

"Ooooowwww... Remind me...not to do that...again," the boy breathes, bringing one clawed hand up to his face, where one cheek has swollen so much that he can't see out of that eye. He blinks the other one slowly, the golden iris taking a few seconds to focus on the red-clad hanyou. "Ki...iru?" he asks, dropping his hand tiredly to his side.

The hanyou nods, and takes off his haori, wrapping the boy in it before he picks Kin'iro up and heads back to the others. The washi would be alright if he didn't lose too much blood.

"What...what's happening?" Kin'iro manages to breath, his eyelids opening and closing slowly.

"Four priestesses have shown up. And..."

Kiiru's words are cut off as the eagle bolts upright, almost making the hanyou drop him and run into a tree. He stares at the other boy with wide eyes.

"Did...did you say..._priestesses_?" Kin'iro asks, regretting his sudden movement and slumping back against the half-demon's chest as a wave of dizziness washes over him.

Kiiru frowns. "Yes. Kierya told us about Alioth and where she grew up. But..."

"Who's Alioth?"

The hanyou looks down in confusion at the boy in his arms. "You...you don't know who Alioth is?"

Kin'iro glances up. "Should I?"

The silver-haired demon frowns again. _What the hell is going on? Kin'iro knows about the mikos, but not Alioth. None of the others knew about either, except that the bear was supposed to be a myth..._

"Kin'iro...do...how did you meet Kierya?"

The eagle freezes for a moment before slumping in Kiiru's arms. He speaks quietly, partly due to the fact that his lower lip is split, and stings when he moves it.

"She...saved me. From the priestesses. Or...from that fate. I was wandering alone when she and one of the women stumbled across me. My mother was gathering food, and I had left the cave to explore. It...was foolish. I was lucky Kierya was there..."

The washi pauses a second to take a deep breath, tightening Kiiru's haori around his shoulders. The hanyou slows to a walk, as he can now see the clearing ahead of them, and wants to hear the end of the eagle's explanation.

"...or...or they would have taken me. She must have known what the miko was going to do, because Kierya suddenly tackled the woman, yelling at me to run. I did. They didn't follow me. I ran into the vixen many years later, when I wandered into the village. My mother had died by then, so I was alone. She remembered me--somehow--and asked me to stay. I consented, and have been with the village for a few years now. It took some convincing, but Kiera finally told me what she'd saved me from. I'm sure she was punished for protecting me that day, and I can never repay her for saving me. Grandmother is the only other who knows... or was, I guess. Kierya never told me what happened after she escaped from the shrine."

The demon sighs as he finishes speaking, closing his good eye as Kiiru sets him gently against the trunk of a tree. The hanyou nods, whispering as he looks between the pines.

"Stay here. I'm pretty sure you'll be safe. Most of the demons aren't..."

Kiiru trails off as he notices Kierya and Shima lying on the ground in front of the barrier, the faces of the demons inside paled with fear. Every one of them is injured and several are unconscious. The hanyou is relieved to see the ones that were with Kin'iro and Oshaberi are safely behind the bubble; however, several others of their group are lying around the clearing, along with all of their enemies. The only ones left standing are three of the priestesses and Alioth.

The half-demon looks past the unmoving kitsune and tora to see one of the mikos striding angrily toward them. And the naginata lying under the vixen's body.

_What the hell? What happened...?_

Kiiru doesn't have time to wonder what happened after he left before a bright flash of light comes from the other end of the glade. He turns his head, blinded momentarily before his vision returns. Frowning, the hanyou stares at the kuma and the third priestess facing each other.

_Wh...what? Where are the other two?_

The boy suddenly realizes that the first priestess is only a few feet away from claiming the bear's weapon, and rushes out from his hiding place, his gaze narrowed angrily. The miko pauses for a second, staring with wide eyes at the scowling hanyou barreling toward her, his silver hair flying behind him. Kiiru sees a quick flash of fear cross her face before she dives for the kitsune, rolling the prone form off of the weapon. The miko grins triumphantly as she raises the _Kicho_ above her head, then points it at him menacingly.

Kiiru stops suddenly, feeling a wave of energy flow over him, pushing the hanyou to his knees. He struggles to bring his head up, his golden eyes widening as the barrier around the village's demons suddenly disappears.

Paling, the half-demon slowly turns his head, fear crossing his face when he sees Alioth's own go blank, her turquoise eyes dulling to a brownish-green. Her next words make Kiiru's heart stop.

"What do you wish of me...Master?"

* * *

Ok???? 


	14. The Truth Of The Matter Is

I know. I'm sorry. My brain got stuck. :( But hopefully you guys will like this chap. It's a little longer than normal, b/c I'm trying to get away from the village...finally. Well, almost. Kiiru still has to explain a little in #15, which I am going to start...probably later tonight. I need to do an epilogue to another story, which shouldn't take very long. Then I'll come back to this one. Uh...is that all? Maybe...

* * *

"Do you want to know what happened next?"

Sakura flinches at the boy's harsh tone, wrapping her arms tighter around her legs as she leans against the sleeping horse behind her. Kiiru sneers at the girl, baring his fangs before snorting loudly.

"We survived--obviously," he growls, flexing his claws a few times--the sharp nails glinting in the light from the fire.

The miko watches him--unable to draw her gaze away from his deadly beauty. She shudders, remembering the look the hanyou had given her when he first entered the cave.

The boy had been soaked from head to toe, clenching his fists tightly by his sides in an obvious attempt to control his anger. He had growled her name once, and the young miko could tell by his tone what the hanyou was feeling.

While Sakura fought the sudden apprehension that rose in her chest, Kiiru had turned away from her and begun to change into the formal robes that he was now wearing. The girl had belatedly realized what he was doing--dropping her eyes to his feet--but not before getting a view of the boy's backside.

The miko then had to deal with the heat on her cheeks, while Kiiru seemed not to care at all that she had just seen him. Small growls were floating to the girl in a continual stream, and Sakura had the sudden impression that the half-demon was struggling just to keep his composure, now that he had caught up with her.

When he'd finished changing and spread his other robes out to dry, Kiiru had wrung out his hair, then walked toward the miko, stopping a moment when Sakura involuntarily backed farther away, not realizing that she had an emotion just shy of fear on her face.

Letting a sneer again cross his lips, the hanyou had continued to the fire, sitting down on the side opposite her and putting his hands in his sleeves. He had glared at her for several minutes before abruptly beginning to detail the events of the battle between the village and the tora.

Sakura had been confused, wondering why Kiiru was telling her what had happened, when she had essentially abandoned him. It occurred to her a few minutes later that the boy was trying calm himself down--before he did something he would regret.

The girl had sat in silent shame from that moment on.

Sakura drops her eyes as the boy shifts his position, raising one knee up and resting that arm on it, the other hand fingering the hilt of his sword. She knows that he's still watching her, but the girl has no desire to see the accusation in the hanyou's amber eyes.

He had barely taken them off of her since entering the cave, the hard glitter behind the golden depths displaying his animosity. But Sakura didn't need to see the boy's anger toward her, because she already hated herself more than he ever could.

Feeling unwanted tears start to form in her eyes--again, she notes--the girl quickly raises one sleeve, wiping it across her face, hoping by chance that Kiiru didn't see her.

He did.

"_Crying_...are we?" he asks, contempt altering his voice so that he almost sounded disgusted to even be in her presence.

_He probably is... I would be..._ Sakura thinks, closing her eyes as the boy speaks again.

"Afraid of me--are you? _Sakura..._," he says, making her name sound like a hiss.

The girl shakes her head, fighting the sob trying to rise in her chest. She breathes deeply a few times, snapping her eyes open when she hears a slight rustle to her left. Kiiru has her off the floor of the cave and pinned to the wall in less than a second, his hands on Sakura's forearms to hold her off the ground. He growls low in his throat against her neck, baring his fangs so that they're just touching the miko's skin.

Sakura freezes, not even worrying whether Kiiru will bite her or not. The boy was obviously angry, and seemed to be trying very hard to make his threats believable. But the girl knew instinctively that he wouldn't harm her, though she didn't know how she knew this. He may have been furious with her, but Sakura had the strangest idea that Kiiru would probably rather die than actually lay a finger on her.

The miko breathes shallowly, fighting the tears still sliding down her cheeks at what she had done to the half-demon to push him to this point. She doesn't move, knowing that any action on her part is likely to get herself injured.

"Good girl," Kiiru says after a minute, the slightest hint of a whine behind his words. He slowly draws away from the miko and stares intently at her face.

Sakura holds the boy's gaze for only a few seconds before she breaks--because of the sadness she can see hiding behind his anger. Only now realizing just how much she had hurt him, Sakura drops her head to her chest and starts to sob, speaking softly but hurredly, as if she thinks Kiiru won't believe her if she takes longer.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry! I was scared; I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry, Kiiru! I shouldn't have left! I should've..."

The girl stops, shaking her head quickly back and forth, quiet cries echoing up to the hanyou's ears. Kiiru's almost cool expression doesn't change as he stares at the miko, though his breath catches in his chest as silver tears slide off her cheeks.

Now angry with himself for still caring for the girl, Kiiru slowly sets her back onto the ground, but continues to hold the miko's arms as Sakura brings her hands to her face. The boy debates for a minute, rubbing his thumbs absently across the girl's sleeves before he speaks.

"What was the dream about?"

Sakura stops crying, then glances up suddenly, shock written across her face, her dark eyes betraying her confusion. The miko opens and closes her mouth several times, but no words ever make their way past her lips.

"I would tell me, if I were you," Kiiru growls, silently flinching when the girl's eyes widen, and her face pales. He doesn't say any more, but loosens his hold on the miko's arms a little, hoping that she'll realize it was an empty threat.

Sakura, however, doesn't seem to notice, and begins to tremble slightly. Her reaction wasn't related to Kiiru's threat, but was caused by the answer she had to give him. Taking a shallow, steadying breath and closing her eyes, the girl bites her lip briefly before speaking in a subdued tone.

"I...I...was...running. Running from some...thing. It..._he_...attacked me... Tried to...tried to..."

Sakura stops, unable to say the words. She speaks again after several minutes, not bothering to hide the fear in her voice.

"He...wanted something...that I had. I...looked up...and saw him...saw..."

"Saw who?" Kiiru prompts.

The boy frowns at the fact that the girl is now shaking her head, refusing to say who was in her dream. He narrows his eyes, tightening his hold again so that he can lift the girl from the ground, holding her face-to-face in front of him.

"_Who_?" he asks again, letting another low growl out along with the word.

Sakura whimpers, slowly raising her head as tears continue to fall down her cheeks. The girl reluctantly lifts her eyes to the boy's, feeling like she's betraying him all over again because of what she was about to say. She cringes slightly away from him as she whispers, as if hoping the hanyou won't be able to hear her.

"Y...you, Kiiru. I saw...you."

_-------------------_

_Me?_

The boy's lips drop into a frown, sure that he hadn't heard the girl correctly. _Hoping_ that he hadn't.

"Me?" he asks belatedly, thinking that the person speaking doesn't sound at all like himself. Kiiru has the sensation that he's watching the scene from somewhere else, instead of actually living it.

Sakura nods before dropping her head back onto her chest, silent sobs making the girl's body shake in his hands. The hanyou blinks, staring dumbly at the miko before he abruptly removes his hands from her, as if he thinks that by distancing himself he can make the girl's answer change.

The boy instantly regrets the action when the miko hits the cave floor, and a horrible crunch and a muffled scream sounds from her.

Kiiru is on his knees in an flash, pulling the girl back into his arms, apoloziging over and over again.

The embracing pair ignores Kuri, who had woken up when Sakura yelled and is now on her feet, staring at them with alarm--soft puffs of air appearing briefly before the horse's nostrils as her large, dark eyes take in the situation.

After a few seconds, the mare decides that there is no danger close by, and slowly settles back down, snorting almost annoyingly because of the interruption. Oblivious to the roan's reaction, the hanyou continues to apologize.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do it. I didn't know... How could I know? That _I_..."

Kiiru stops, trying to control his shaking as he holds the crying girl in his arms, afraid of what he'd just done to her, of what she thinks of him, of what her dream really means.

Afraid of the fact that he'd come so close to losing her.

"I was so scared, Sakura. When I came back...and you were gone," he whispers. Kiiru involuntarily hugs the girl tighter to his chest, unaware that the miko has a similar hold on him. "Nobody knew where you went. You were just..._gone_. If we didn't have Grandmother's..."

The boy breaks off again, suddenly realizing that the girl in his arms is in severe pain, and isn't complaining about her ankle because he was talking. Releasing a low growl, Kiiru lifts the miko in his arms and walks her back over to the fire, trying to stifle his worry when she whimpers and tightens her hands on his haori.

Kiiru sets the girl gently on the ground, moving Sakura's pack beneath her calf to keep her foot off the ground before he heads back over to his own, retrieving bandages and a small leather pouch before returning.

Somehow ignoring the obvious pain on her face, Kiiru settles himself at Sakura's feet, pushing up the leg of her hakamas so that he can access her foot more easily, growling lightly at the dark purple bruise already starting to form on the girl's joint. He lifts her calf with one hand and gingerly probes her ankle with the other, flattening his ears when Sakura jerks her leg and releases a cross between a yell and a whine.

"Well, it's broken," he says after a few seconds, completely failing to hide the anxiety in his voice. The half-demon glances up with wide eyes, his heart breaking at the anguish on the girl's face. "I'm so sorry, Sakura."

The miko looks up, grinding her teeth together to keep herself from fainting. "I'm not... upset," she manages to say, taking a deep breath afterward and struggling to keep her tears from falling. Sakura shakes her head when Kiiru frowns, then opens his mouth to protest. "I'm not. You didn't...see it coming... And..."

The girl doesn't get to finish her sentence as Kiiru picks that moment to start to wrap her ankle, closing her eyes as the comforting blackness finally overwhelms her.

---------------

Sakura blinks, taking a few minutes to remember where she was. The girl sits up slowly, noticing that Kiiru's red haori is draped over her, and that she had been using his blue one as a pillow. Her right ankle is now snugly wrapped, small brown leaves sticking out randomly through the bandages. She tentatively moves her toes, releasing the breath she'd been holding when only a dull ache flows up her leg.

Glancing past the low fire, Sakura sees the half-demon's outline just inside the cave entrance, his profile staring vacantly at the sky, a light rain making the stars twinkle moreso than normal.

She sits for several minutes without making a sound, simply watching the hanyou--wondering what he's thinking. Kiiru's voice startles the girl out of her reverie.

"You won't be walking on that for awhile."

Sakura doesn't have to try at all to hear the regret in the boy's tone. The miko frowns to herself, intending to tell Kiiru that she didn't blame him; that she knew her injury was an accident. She also wants to apologize and explain her actions, but the hanyou speaks instead, continuing with his story as if it had never been interrupted, though now there is sadness--instead of anger--in his voice.

"What do you wish of me...Master?"

§§§§§§§§

Kiiru struggles to breathe, partly due to the fact that an invisible force is compressing his lungs; partly because of the words Alioth has just uttered.

The priestess a few feet away from the boy releases an high-pitched laugh, which makes Kiiru involuntarily flatten his ears, trying to muffle the horrible sound. Ignoring the half-demon, the woman turns to the last of her companions, raising her voice so that it carries across the clearing.

"We finally have her, Nusumi. The power of a _kami_! Can you believe it? After all this time?!"

The other miko frowns to herself, brushing some dirt from her hakamas before approaching and circling Alioth, scrutinizing the kuma's passive face. She finally smiles, laughing to herself as she turns and heads toward the other woman.

"I never guessed that those silly children's stories were true. Until Shima happened upon that village--and heard that a kitsune with a naginata lived there--Alioth was only a myth to us, and Kierya was presumed to be dead. The kuma wasn't supposed to exist, and neither was that weapon. Then our research into Mis Rida's scrolls and scrying of the vixen proved our assumptions wrong," Nusumi says, coming to a stop beside her companion and staring at the naginata with a look very close to relevance.

"It was just luck that the tiger was scouting this far south; otherwise, we never would have known," the first woman, Dageki, says. "And the others weren't far away; they took the village in only a week. It was just bad timing that Kierya and that old woman were up the mountain. Although..._recruiting_ most of the village's youkai population was a lot of fun," the miko says, giggling to herself.

Kiiru stops a moment in his struggle to move, his eyes widening at this piece of information. The boy hears a stifled growl from one of the demons to his left.

_So...they __**were**__ under a spell... _he thinks, glancing around at the bodies littering the clearing. A few of the demons are starting to come back to life, but none are anywhere close to being able to fight again. The first priestess speaks again, drawing the hanyou back to their conversation.

"Yes, it was, Dageki. And this battle was even more interesting, since there were so many for us to work with. Too bad, though, that Kierya summoned the kami. We could have prolonged our enjoyment, otherwise. Made the tora fight until they collapsed," the miko says, sharing a grin with her friend before her smile slowly fades, a look of concentration coming onto her face instead. "Tell her to do something, Dageki. Make her kill the hanyou," she says suddenly, pointing to Kiiru--who is still kneeling on the ground, unable to move.

The boy feels all the blood run out of his face, while several of the conscious demons that had been behind Alioth's barrier gasp audibly. None of them moves, however, as most are injured, and the group still doesn't know what these women are capable of.

"No... That's too simple. _We_ could do that. Without even trying," the miko says. She pauses for a moment, seemingly in thought. "We could have her toy with him, though. That might be fun," she says, giving the other priestess a tentative, pleading smile--as if she needed Nusumi's permission.

The second woman slowly turns her gaze on Kiiru, a smirk coming onto her face when he bares his fangs at her, a low growl floating to her ears.

"In a few minutes, perhaps," she says, raising one brow at the boy's challenge. "Actually, we really need to take care of..._this_, first," Nusumi says, sneering at Kierya's body, poking the kitsune in the leg with her toe and making a disgusted face when the vixen moans. "The right way. Ask... no. _Tell_ the god to get rid of her."

Kiiru pales again, fear starting to replace his anxiety at what the mikos were going to do with Kierya. Would they kill the fox? Make her simply vanish? Send her back to their shrine?

The hanyou grits his teeth and tries to force himself into a standing position, but only succeeds in getting one foot flat on the ground before his strength fails and Kiiru stops, panting heavily. The miko holding the _Kicho_ speaks to him, her expression one of delight.

"You can't break the spell, half-demon. It's only a simple compression, but far greater youkai than you have been stopped by it."

Dageki turns away, as she and Nusumi put their heads together to discuss Kierya's demise. Kiiru glares at the women, his lips pulling back in another fang-revealing sneer.

_We'll just see about that..._

The boy's glare changes suddenly to a frown, as a slight whispering to his left catches Kiiru's attention. He glances in that direction, seeing Oshaberi gesturing to the tree-line behind the hanyou.

Kiiru manages to turn his head, his golden eyes widening as Kin'iro slowly stands, then disappears deeper into the trees. Stifling an urge to yell, the boy's gaze shifts upward, where the washi has just taken to the air.

"Fool. He's going to get himself killed."

Kiiru glances over to Nigatsu, who had also been watching the eagle, and is now holding his head in his hands, apparently trying to fight off nausea. The hanyou swallows a sudden lump in his throat, looking up again to see Kin'iro circling high above them, wobbling slightly.

Wondering what the young demon was planning--or if he even had a plan--Kiiru tries again to stand on his feet, managing to get into a crouched position before he has to stop. He can't even muster the strength to look at Kierya when the fox suddenly lifts her head, glancing around confusedly before her glazed eyes land on the naginata and the mikos. The vixen's expression changes instantly.

"You cannot handle that weapon, Dageki," Kierya says murderously, pushing herself into a slight sitting position and gingerly bringing one hand to her shoulder, which seems to be dislocated. The fox ignores the gash on her opposite leg, as it doesn't seem to be bleeding too badly. "It was not intended for humans."

The two women turn from their discussion and regard the kitsune with slightly amused expressions, though it is Nusumi who responds to the fox. "So you were keeping this for yourself, _Kierya_? Whatever could make you think that _you_ were worthy of a weapon like this?" she asks, placing one finger on the blade of the weapon and drawing it downward, smiling at the gleam the metal makes in the dying sunlight.

Kierya bares her fangs, essentially snarling at the mikos before she regains some sense of her composure. "I didn't imply that I was; I only said that _humans_ weren't." The fox pauses a moment, considering the women before she speaks again. "Alioth has taken care of two of you, and that was without her weapon. If you wish to live, I suggest that you leave the _Kicho_ and go back to your..._ other _activities," the demon says, turning her head away as if she was tired of this conversation and was looking for something more interesting. Dageki and Nusumi seem to sneer at the demon for few seconds before both women suddenly smile.

" 'If we wish to live,' Kierya? You imply that we are in danger, when both you and your demons are injured. None of you are in any condition to take this weapon from us, and Alioth awaits our instructions. The only one of you still able to fight--the only one who _might_ pose a threat to us--is that hanyou, and he is being held by one of our compression spells."

Dageki takes a moment to glance at Kiiru, frowning because the half-demon is on his feet. He's unsteady, but still standing when he shouldn't be. The miko tilts her head to the side, then begins laughing.

"Nusumi, I think we may have underestimated the boy; he is unnaturally strong for a half-demon. I've just thought of a way to determine the god's powers, take care of Kierya, and decide whether we should take him back to the shrine with us."

Kierya, Kiiru, Oshaberi, and the other demons from the village who are conscious all visibly pale at the mention that Kiiru could be taken away. After a few seconds, however, their anger overrides their horror, and low growling sounds can be heard coming from the youkai.

"I don't think so," Kiiru says, finally standing upright and glaring at the two mikos with as much anger as he can muster, because the effort of fighting the spell was still taking most of his strength. "You'll _never_ do any..._experiments_ on me."

Dageki and Nusumi simply gaze at the half-demon, looking slightly annoyed that they're having to deal with his threats. "What is your idea?" Nusumi asks, turning an interested grin to her friend. The first woman smiles back, mischievously.

"I will show you," she answers, turning away and heading toward the kuma.

Before anyone can react to her threat, a loud screech from above alerts the women to Kin'iro's presence. Both mikos look up, slight surprise crossing their faces as the eagle dives at them. They stand in place for a few seconds, before suddenly realizing their danger and scattering, jumping to safety as an angry washi flies through the place they had been standing.

Cursing under their respective breaths, the priestesses begin speaking in quiet tones as they get to their feet. Neither notices the saru until Kierya yells his name.

"Oshaberi! No!"

The monkey has risen to his feet and is heading toward Dageki, jumping quickly to close the gap between them. Kiiru stares, having forgotten that the saru hadn't yet been injured.

The demon ignores the vixen, reaching for the naginata, managing to grab the weapon with one hand, despite the warning Kierya had given the priestess. The pair faces one another, each struggling to take control of the _Kicho_, while Nusumi continues to glare angrily at Kin'iro as the eagle heads into another dive.

Fighting panic at the actions of two of her friends, Kierya struggles to her feet, continuing to hold her shoulder. She takes a few weak steps before hearing a painful screech from above her. The fox glances up just in time to see Kin'iro revert to his human form.

The eagle is engulfed in blue-white flames.

Kierya screams, sinking back to her knees as tears start to fall down her cheeks, oblivious to the gasps and yells from her other demons, and the laughing coming from Nusumi.

Kiiru pales, struggling desperately against the compression spell, when the hanyou suddenly finds himself free and moving to intercept the falling washi. Without stopping to think about why he's able to move, the boy sprints forward, diving at the last second and catching Kin'iro, throwing both of them into a roll to smother the flames.

The hanyou's golden eyes widen when they come to a stop and he turns to find that the eagle has not been burned.

"Why? Why?..."

"I think...this belongs to you," the boy says, removing Kiiru's robe from his shoulders and trying to hand it back to the half-demon with a relieved smile.

Kiiru frowns in confusion, then glances up as Oshaberi yells, releasing his hold on the weapon. He stares at the miko in front of him with blatant fear before dropping into a fetal position on the ground, whimpering to himself.

"Hold onto it," Kiiru mutters, standing quickly and heading for the priestess. He glances back to the other demons, watching with slight amusement as Habigaku, Fuyu, and Hana surround Nusumi, keeping her occupied.

Kiiru looks back to Dageki, his lips curling into a snarl as the miko sees him, and begins to run toward Alioth, who is still standing in the same spot she was 10 minutes ago, a blank stare on her face. The half-demon growls low in his throat, intending to increase his speed when he suddenly stops, almost gawking at the kami.

Alioth was moving.

Kiiru turns, barely managing to get Kierya out of the way before a pair of huge claws leaves a hole in the ground where the fox had been kneeling.

"She's after you?!" he yells, shifting the kitsune to his back as he heads out of the clearing and into forest, only just keeping ahead of the rampaging bear behind him. He ignores the grunt of pain from the kitsune as she tries to hold her injured arm still.

"Yes! But their plan won't work! Alioth can't hurt me!"

Kiiru is so startled by this sentence that he slows down, realizing his mistake when Kierya yanks so hard on his hair that he falls backward to the ground, as Alioth flies over their heads, her claws only inches away.

"What do you mean, 'Alioth can't hurt you' ?! Of course she can!" he yells, getting to his feet and heading back to the clearing.

"It's part of my oath! My life is bound to hers!"

Kiiru considers this for a few seconds as he breaks the treeline, his questions catching in his throat as he sees Dageki. Only the fox's quiet hissing in his ears keeps him from stopping completely.

"That's what happens when you use a god's power."

The hanyou alters his path so that he circles the space, sticking close to edge of the meadow as he continues to stare at the miko, his mouth open slightly.

The woman is kneeling on the ground, both of her hands holding onto the naginata so that she doesn't lay down completely. The woman's hair has changed from brown to white, and her frame seems to have shrank inside her robes. Dageki's face and hands are criss-crossed with wrinkles.

Kiiru's eyes drift over Habigaku and Fuyu--who are lying unconscious on the ground--while Hana holds a weaping Nusumi, and Kin'iro simply stares in shock. Oshaberi is still lying on his side, and doesn't seem to be aware of what's happening around him.

"How..._old_ do you think she is?" Kiiru asks.

Kierya tightens her arm around the boy's neck as he jumps to the trees, leaping gracefully from branch to branch as Alioth simply barrels through the forest behind them.

"It's hard to say. If she wasn't a priestess, she would probably be dead right now. I would guess in her sixties or so, but it would be much older if she hadn't had any spiritual powers."

Kiiru nods absently, slowing his speed as the forest suddenly ends and the pair comes to the remains of the village they had seen earlier that day. The boy heads for the river, watching the last of the sun's rays reflecting off the water as he crosses to the other side.

"So...how can you wield Alioth's _Kicho_? And if she can't hurt you...why am I still running?! I can't keep this up all night, you know," Kiiru says, his tone betraying the slightest hint of tiredness.

Kierya is silent for a moment, turning around to watch the kuma trailing them, the god's eyes still a dull greenish-brown, instead of the vibrant turquoise the vixen associated with her. She speaks in a monotone, as if she had rehearsed her words previously, and was now simply reciting them.

"Just holding the weapon drains very little of one's life force. If Dageki had kept the naginata --but never used it--she would only have lost a few years, at the most. Because demons live longer, we would not have noticed the effects immediately, if ever."

"Not counting it's ability to cut, the _Kicho_--a weapon of a higher being--requires more power to control than most mortals can imagine. Dageki used most of hers to send Alioth after me, not knowing that it was a futile task." The fox grins to herself. "I have only ever used it's powers once, to call Alioth herself. Demons would notice the effects after a dozen uses, perhaps. Half-demons, probably less. But because of my oath to her, I did not lose much of my powers when I used the _Kicho_."

Kiiru grunts, acknowledging the kitsune's words. He crosses back to the village side of the river, heading straight for the clearing, though the demon's path now has a distinct southern heading.

"So, what was your oath? Why am I still running if she can't hurt you?"

"I should have said, 'Alioth can't kill me,' instead," Kierya answers, an almost amused tone to her words. "She can hurt me, if she catches us. When she catches us. And she can definitely kill you, Kiiru. But I am her bearer; while Alioth reigns, I am protected. I am her tie to the mortal world; the reason she can appear to us in a corporeal form. Well, _one_ of her ties, anyway."

Kiiru catches the slight annoyed tone in the vixen's words, and finds--strangely--that a smile has come onto his face. "Don't want to share her?" he asks teasingly, coming upon the rock outcropping their group had meant to use as a base and leaping off it without hesitation. Another grin crosses his lips as Kierya tightens her hold on his neck.

"Don't be absurd, Kiiru," the fox answers with a indelicate snort. "A god's strength is too immense for a single demon to handle. There are at least five more, but only Alioth knows who they are. For both her and our safety," she adds, as if Kiiru couldn't figure this out. "At the moment, her _Kicho_ is entrusted to me. The weapon rotates between her ties, so that none of us loses an unreasonable amount of our demonic power, or are influenced too much by her own_."_

The hanyou grunts, letting the fox know he had heard her explanation. "So...the weapon is the source of her power? And if we take it back, Alioth will return to normal? Correct?" he asks, passing the last of the trees and breaking into the clearing again, choosing to head straight for the kneeling miko still holding the naginata.

"Yes. No mortal alive can handle the kami's power, so a vessel is chosen to house most of a god's strength, and tie's are chosen to bear it and the ensuing responsibility."

Kiiru nods as he slides to a stop in front of Dageki, a glare contorting his features as he reaches toward the weapon. Before he can lay a claw on it, however, Kierya suddenly yanks on his hair again, pulling both of them to the ground.

The hanyou is about to yell at the fox when he sees that the eldered priestess and the _Kicho_ are flying across the clearing, both tumbling end-over-end silently before landing with dull _thumps_. He turns to his other side, his golden eyes narrowing as Nusumi slowly rises to her feet and begins running toward the weapon, leaving Hana's body lying on the ground, smoking slightly. Kiiru growls.

"They have no problem with killing one of their own, I take it," the boy says, grabbing the kitsune and dodging out of the way as a large paw attempts to flatten the demons into the ground.

"No," Kierya says, stifling a pained cry with a growl because she had landed on her shoulder. "Even though they cannot use it, the priestesses will not allow us to free Alioth from their hold. Nusumi will now do everything she can to keep us away from the weapon."

Kiiru utters another growl, and begins to head toward the two priestesses and the naginata, when he suddenly realizes something is wrong. Slowing down, the hanyou turns around, his jaw dropping as he sees Alioth standing in the middle of the clearing, not moving at all.

"Dageki no longer holds the _Kicho_. She has no control over Alioth now. You must reach it before Nusumi," the demon says, forcing Kiiru to set her down, and pushing him away. "Quickly; GO!"

The half-demon stares in slight shock for a few seconds before the vixen's blue eyes widen, and she jumps toward him, pushing Kiiru out of the way as what looks like a blob of green..._slime_ knocks her off her feet, leaving the fox twitching on the ground.

Before he can react, a hand on his arm gets the boy's attention, and Kiiru turns to see Oshaberi standing behind him, wearing a serious expression, despite the fact that the saru looks like he's about to collapse.

"I'll watch her; GO!" the monkey says, pushing Kiiru again as he kneels beside the fox.

Hesitating another moment, the hanyou suddenly turns, his eyes narrowing dangerously at the miko who has almost reached her fallen comrade and the naginata.

_I don't think so_... Kiiru thinks, withdrawing his sword as he takes off, barreling toward the woman as fast as he can and swinging his weapon in a wide arc.

Instantly, deadly blades of light leave gouges in the ground as they head for the priestess, who stops to watch in sudden awe, forgetting for a moment that she's in danger.

Coming back to herself, Nusumi brings up a barrier as the blades reach her, dissipating the attack into the surrounding forest, breathing hard as she watches the trees topple behind her. Turning a raging glare at Kiiru, the miko's lips begin to move, and a moment later, her barrier disappears.

Ignoring the obvious danger of attacking her directly, Kiiru begins to run, racing toward the miko. A slight whistling on his right makes hanyou duck and roll, losing only a little momentum as he turns back to see an arrow disappear into the trees. Growling, the boy turns back...

...only to run into a wall.

Literally.

As Kiiru sprawls on the ground, disoriented and in pain, he silently thanks the arrow that had made him turn so that he hadn't broken his nose on the shimmering, silver wall in front of him. A shadow suddenly falls over his face, and the boy stares in shock as he sees who had fired at him.

"You could have been killed; she probably energized it," Shima says, reaching a clawed hand to the hanyou and helping him to his feet.

Before Kiiru can process this, a screech from a few yards away makes the demons aware that Kin'iro is not lying on the ground like he should be. Turning, the boy's see the washi snatch the naginata from the miko's grasping fingers, instantly banking and flying quickly toward them.

The eagle doesn't bother to head for Alioth, but simply tosses the weapon at Kiiru and Shima, as he is again engulfed in flames, and falls to the ground in a heap.

Silently making a vow to personally strangle the priestess, Kiiru jumps into the air and grabs the weapon, grunting as Shima slams into him, taking a blob of green slime in the back.

Making another vow to thank the tora later, Kiiru hits the ground running, jumping every few seconds as..._things_ go flying past him. The boy lets out a scream as pain rips across the almost-healed wound on his back, making the hanyou drop to the ground.

Intending to run again and suddenly, angrily, almost fearfully finding his legs paralyzed, Kiiru tightens his hold on the naginata, dragging himself forward. And--since he doesn't know how to bring the god back to her senses--the boy begins to silently beg her to wake up.

_Wake up, Alioth. We need you. Wake up._

_WAKE UP!_

_

* * *

_Ugh... ok? I kinda feel bad. Hurting demons all over the place... 


	15. Interim

You ever have one of those days, where you just don't know? Well...yeah...

* * *

"Alioth...? She...woke up?"

Sakura remains silent after her whispered question, waiting almost anxiously for Kiiru to answer. The boy was still sitting in front of the cave entrance, staring blankly at the clear sky that was starting to lighten in the early morning, the landscape outside glistening from the night's storm.

After several minutes, the hanyou finally nods, a small frown starting to form on his face.

"Yes. I... A shadow fell over me...while I was trying to move. I was in pain; I thought it was the priestess."

Kiiru stops, his brows coming together as he turns to the girl, his golden eyes not really seeing Sakura, though he's looking straight at her. When he speaks again, his deep voice is now only a soft whisper.

"It tried to take the _Kicho_, but I wouldn't let go. I said that she would have to kill me before I would let her have the weapon, and tried to use my claws on her, but she only caught my wrist, holding it firmly. I thought I heard a quiet chuckle before sudden growling and curses, then something I assumed to be explosions floated over my head. A few seconds later, I heard Alioth whispering in my ear, telling me that it was alright; that I could let go now."

The boy slowly turns away, staring outside for a few minutes longer before he stands, stretching his arms over his head as he walks over to Sakura. He kneels beside the girl's feet and gently probes her ankle, his expression again sliding into a frown as he sees her reaction.

The miko clenches her teeth as a slight pain moves up her leg, but it's nothing like the nauseating anguish she was in before. Glancing up at the half-demon, she notices that Kiiru's eyes are shadowed, and speaks before he can apologize again.

"Don't; it wasn't your fault, Kiiru." The hanyou opens his mouth, but Sakura cuts him off, shaking her head. "No; I know you didn't mean to do it; you were in shock."

"But..."

"No," she says forcefully, narrowing her eyes so that she's almost glaring at him. Kiiru scowls, but doesn't interrupt when the girl goes on. "None of this would've happened if I had just told you about the dream. And...hadn't run away...," she adds, sighing as she turns away, a light blush crossing her cheeks.

Kiiru is silent for a moment, sitting down and staring almost confusedly at the girl before he speaks, still absently holding her foot. "What do you mean, 'if you had told me about it' ? The dream that made you scream--the one where Chushin and his men came to check on you--was the first one. Right?"

Sakura freezes at the boy's words, tensing her muscles as her cheeks begin to warm up.

_Uh-oh..._

The girl can't control the visible tremor that runs down her spine, turning slowly to look at the boy who is now glaring angrily at her. Sakura bows her head, putting her face in her hands. It takes her a moment to realize that Kiiru is not near her feet anymore, but is now hovering next to her head, whispering dangerously in her ear.

"_Right_?" he repeats, a growl reverberating in his words.

Sakura doesn't raise her eyes, but chooses instead to speak through her fingers, shaking her head slowly. "It was...the second. The first one was the morning we ate with Grandmother. But...I didn't know it was you, then. I was just...running from something," she says quietly, dropping her hands to her lap and staring at them.

Kiiru doesn't move from the girl's side, and Sakura hears a deep sigh come from the boy after several tense minutes. Eventually he says, "And why didn't you tell me about that one?"

The girl can hear the disappointment in his voice, and shrugs sadly. "I didn't know if it was a dream or a memory. I...didn't want to worry you," she mumbles, knowing how stupid her excuse sounded, especially given the circumstances.

Sakura clenches her fingers on her hakamas, twisting the material as shame begins to color her cheeks again. She fights the tears starting to form in her eyes, which is made easier after Kiiru speaks.

"So you decided to run away, instead?" he asks, annoyed and slightly angry. "Because that wouldn't wor..."

"I was scared!" Sakura snaps suddenly, her expression almost immediately lapsing into shock at her outburst. The miko can see the same look on Kiiru's face, and finds herself wishing she could get away from the boy--just for a minute--so that she could get herself together.

Since she can't do that, however, the girl brings her good leg up and hugs her knee, hiding her face from the half-demon as she whispers to him.

"I'm sorry, Kiiru. For yelling at you. And for running away. I just...panicked when I saw that you were the one...after me," she says, closing her eyes and listening to Kiiru's uneven breathing. When he doesn't speak, she continues.

"I wasn't thinking straight. It was like a nightmare that I couldn't wake up from. I kept seeing your...claws..."

The miko stops, choking on the words she was trying to say. Taking a moment to compose herself and stop her shaking, Sakura starts again.

"Once I'd gone far enough from the village that I wouldn't be able to find my way back, I realized... that I'd made a mistake. That I should never have left. That if my dream _was_ a memory, it doesn't apply to us now."

Sakura finally raises her eyes to the boy as tears flow down her cheeks. Kiiru doesn't move, watching the girl through his bangs, but not letting his expression show what he was feeling.

"I'm sorry for leaving you, Kiiru. I was wrong. I know you would never hurt me--even though we can't remember our lives before a few days ago," she says. Sakura barely whispers her next words.

"Please forgive me."

The hanyou holds the girl's gaze for several minutes before he looks away, hearing Sakura's breath catch in her throat. He continues to stare out the entrance to the cave, watching the sun rise above the horizon and finally feeling the exhaustion that had been pulling on him all night.

Looking back to the girl and seeing fear on her face, Kiiru frowns, before speaking seriously to her. "If you'll promise me that you won't ever run away from me again," he says, a low growl punctuating his words. "And that you'll tell me _anything_ that you remember...or dream...even if you think it will worry me."

Sakura pales a little at Kiiru's words, then relaxes as she sees that the hanyou isn't angry with her, but only wants to make sure that nothing like this happens again. She nods, then speaks quickly when the boy growls, narrowing his eyes.

"I promise."

Kiiru holds her eyes for a few more seconds before nodding as well, then yawning widely.

"Ok. Since we..._I've_ been up all night, I'm gonna try to get a few hours sleep before we head out. Hopefully the ground will dry enough that we can travel quickly."

Sakura mumbles a quiet--and relieved-- 'ok,' before her brain registers what the hanyou had said. "Wait. Where are we going?" she asks, staring at him in confusion.

"I'll tell you when we wake up," Kiiru says, smirking at the girl as he lays down beside her, falling asleep almost as soon as he closes his eyes.

-----------------------

"They were freed from the priestesses control. After Alioth took care of Nusumi, we stayed until the tora were awake, to make sure they wouldn't try to come to the village. Most of them didn't even seem to know where they were, much less _why_ they were there. After Oshaberi gave him something for that green stuff we got hit with, Shima took charge and said that he'd take them back to the priestess' shrine."

"To destroy it," Kiiru says, when Sakura gives him a shocked look. "The four mikos who came after the weapon were the most powerful. According to Shima, those still at the shrine are novices, or have very little spiritual power. The demons should have almost no trouble..._dealing_... with them. And if they _should_ need help, Alioth has promised to meet them in three days' time, and follow them to the shrine, but remain hidden unless needed."

"Where? Where is the shrine, I mean?" Sakura asks, ducking under a low-hanging oak branch, and feeling Kiiru kneel behind her.

"Somewhere north of Alioth's mountain. I don't think it's... on this island, from the way Kierya talked."

"On..._this_ _island_?" Sakura asks, turning completely around on Kuri's back and staring at the hanyou. Kiiru shrugs, and stands back up on the horse's rump, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yes. We're apparently on the northern island of something called 'Japan.' The priestesses shrine is--I think--on a much smaller island that's somewhere to the northeast. That's how I know which way were supposed to go."

Kiiru stops speaking, his lips moving downward in a slight frown while his silver ears swivel in different directions, once almost turning completely backwards. Sakura watches them, partly in awe at their flexibility, and partly in alarm. The hanyou was obviously listening for something.

After several minutes, the boy starts again, but keeps his voice low.

"We need to head south. According to Alioth, my robe is made from a Fire-Rat, and they reside on the southern island."

"How does she know that? And how far is it?" Sakura asks, facing forward again, and shivering as a cool breeze blows over her bare legs. The girl glances down, wondering why she'd changed back into these clothes, when her formal robes were so much warmer. She makes a mental note to find something better to wear when she has a chance.

"I only know the answer to one of those. When Alioth saw that my robe protected Kin'iro from getting burned, she took it from me, and started _'oohing' _over it," the boy says, rolling his eyes. "Once she was finished, she said that it had been years since she'd been to Japan's other island; that she never travels that far south anymore, and hadn't seen a 'Fire-Rat' since she was a cub--whatever that means."

Kiiru stops again, actually turning around and glancing behind them, his eyes narrowed. Sakura turns and gives him an anxious look, which quickly changes to surprise and alarm when the boy sits down behind her and wraps his arms around hers, taking the reins and urging Kuri out of her walk and into a slow trot. He doesn't explain his actions, however, and continues with his answer.

"Grandmother said that the sea is only four days journey--roughly--from the village, in all directions. So right now, we're probably close to the center of the island. We should try to stay on land as long as possible, before trying to cross the sea."

Sakura nods, agreeing with the boy but wondering how long their journey back was going to last. Back to where, she didn't know, but it was going to take at least four days--probably longer--just to reach the ocean. After that...

Trying to keep the half-demon's tense attitude from getting to her--and suddenly remembering that Kiiru hadn't told her how he had found her--Sakura says, "How did you get back?" She hears the boy sigh very close to her ear, and somehow keeps herself from shuddering, but for what reason, she's not quite sure.

"Alioth carried us back. The ones who went with Kierya, and the 'traitors,' who sided with the tora, also. Kierya said she would vouch for them, so I heard. I was unconscious," Kiiru says, before Sakura even has a chance to open her mouth. "After I gave the _Kicho_ up to Alioth, Oshaberi made me take something. I don't know what it was, but it healed my wound and knocked me out until we were back at the village. When I woke up, Chushin, Maru, Grandmother, and Kokei were waiting inside our...hut."

Kiiru pauses a moment, as his voice catches slightly on the word _our_. Sakura stiffens, afraid that the hanyou was going to become angry or upset, but he simply goes on, his words almost bored.

"Kierya and the others--including Alioth--were treated for the wounds that Oshaberi hadn't tended, and were asked to tell their stories--so Grandmother said. I wanted to know where you were, so that I could tell you everything that had happened. Instead of answering me though, Maru asked if we had a fight, which confused me. When I asked why, Chushin told how he had found you the morning before, screaming like you were being attacked, but refusing to say what had scared you. Maru said that Grandmother's mare was gone, and no one but Chushin had seen you since the celebration."

Sakura feels her face growing warm and bows her head, staring at the strong hands resting on her legs--the reins held loosely between Kiiru's fingers. Wondering if she'll ever be able to live down the fact that she had run away from him, the girl forces her question out.

"So...how did you find me?" she whispers over the lump in her throat.

Kiiru is quiet for several minutes, but Sakura doesn't know why. She doesn't dare turn around to look at him, so she doesn't see the boy's ears facing the opposite direction. Finally growling lightly to himself, the hanyou stops the mare, and wraps one arm firmly around her waist, using the other to balance himself as he turns to face the way they've just come.

The boy gazes into the dense undergrowth, lit faintly by the sun shining through the branches, trying to see what belonged to the soft _swish_ his ears had been picking up. The sound had gotten faster, and a little louder, when Kuri had gone into a trot, and had also stopped when they had.

"If you can't guess, we're being followed," Kiiru whispers, taking a deep breath, then muttering a quiet curse. "It must have come to the cave after we did, because I can't get it's scent, and I haven't smelled anything more interesting than mice and lizards for the past two hours."

Sakura nods vaguely, jumping when Kuri snorts. The girl puts one hand over her racing heart, before turning and leaning against the boy to see where he was looking. "There's no wind," she says, stating the obvious reason why Kiiru couldn't smell their pursuer. "I...I sense..._something_...but it's very faint."

"What?" Kiiru asks, turning to her with a frown. "What does that mean? You can 'sense something' ?"

"I...don't know. I don't know how to explain it. I just know that I...can... _feel_ something out there, and it's not a mouse or a lizard."

Kiiru continues to stare at Sakura for several more seconds before he turns away, narrowing his eyes as if he can force them to see what he was looking for. "Well...whatever it is, it's not coming any closer."

The boy gives a soft snort before facing forward, clicking to Kuri. He remains silent while the horse starts to walk, then moves on to a trot. Sakura notices that he hasn't removed his arm from her waist, and is now rubbing his thumb nervously over her sleeve. She's wondering whether she should mention it, when Kiiru speaks again.

"After they said you'd disappeared, I thanked them for their hospitality, and was given a small amount of money for helping Kierya. I tried to refuse it, but Maru wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. I told them that I was going after you, and they nodded in understanding. Everyone left after that, so I retrieved my pack, quickly adding the supplies that someone had left near it. When I turned back to the doorway, Grandmother was uh...staring at me, and about scared me witless."

Kiiru utters a quiet chuckle to himself. "She would have been interesting to get to know better. Anyway, the witch told me that if I truly wished to find you, that I would always be able to. I didn't know what that meant, but thanked her again, and set about following your scent."

"It was faint, but I didn't have any trouble until it started to rain, late in the afternoon. It came down so fast that I was dripping in a matter of minutes, and I lost your trail a little after that. Even Kuri's smell was washed away. I wandered around for several hours--trying to get any hint of your scent--before I gave up."

Sakura bites her bottom lip, to stop it's trembling. She can hear the sadness in the boy's voice, and finds suddenly that there are tears in her eyes. The miko doesn't bother to wipe them away when the hanyou continues in a subdued tone.

"It was the bracelet that Grandmother gave me--that led me to you. I was tired, hungry, exhausted, and panicked. I just sat down under a tree and put my head in my hands, wondering how I was ever going to find you again, and becoming angrier by the minute that you had run away. Until I saw you again, I thought that maybe you had just pretended not to remember anything."

The girl can't stop the gasp from escaping her lips, and belatedly puts her hand over her face, but doesn't comment. She could see how Kiiru could have come to that conclusion, but to what end? Why would she have left him with the village?

Kiiru had apparently thought the same thing, because he says, "I couldn't see any reason why you might do that, though. The villagers didn't have anything that we might want, besides provisions. And we didn't want to go with them in the first place. Unless you were allied with the tora--which is obviously not true--you just leaving the village on your own didn't make any sense."

The boy sighs, then continues in a slightly darker tone. "So I decided to wait and see what reason you gave for leaving me. When I stood to start wandering again, I thought that the storm had made it impossible to find you, but I promised myself that I would never give up. I...was scared. For you," Kiiru says, his voice now quiet.

Sakura swallows the lump in her throat, then slowly turns to the boy, tears still glistening in her dark eyes. Kiiru doesn't look at the girl for a moment, choosing instead to concentrate on guiding Kuri through a particularly dense clump of bushes before he finally glances down at the miko. He doesn't say anything, but simply holds her intense gaze.

"Thank you," Sakura finally says, hesitating a moment before reaching up one hand and laying it on the boy's cheek, pulling him toward her and pressing a soft kiss against his skin. She then wraps her arms around him and hugs the hanyou tightly--if a bit awkwardly--before facing the forest again.

Kiiru can feel his face warming at the touch the girl had just given him, but somehow manages to keep his voice level when he speaks, despite the uneven way his heart is beating.

"After...that, I felt my wrist becoming warm. I looked down and saw the bracelet glowing, then was shocked when...a tiny person with wings sort of..._floated_ out of it."

"A tiny person with wings floated out of your bracelet?" Sakura asks, turning to stare at the boy again. Kiiru nods, then scowls at the girl when he sees she's trying very hard not to laugh.

"I'm not kidding. It had long, black hair and and was wearing something like what Kierya does, except that it was a bright green color instead of white. It's wings were sort of...shimmery. After I rubbed my eyes to make sure I hadn't fallen asleep while I was sitting down, the..._thing_ winked at me, then flew away, leaving a red line behind it."

"A red line? Like the one that was connected to my bracelet when you found me?" Sakura asks, her smile sliding into a frown.

Kiiru nods. "Yep. I really didn't have any other options, so I thought, 'What the hell?' And even though I was running, she still had to come back for me several times. Took me a few hours, but I finally found the cave you and Kuri were sheltering in. I didn't see where the..._thing... _went, but I assume that she...returned to my bracelet." The boy sighs. "If it wasn't for Grandmother, I never would have found you."

Sakura holds her frown as Kiiru finishes his explanation and she glances down at her own bracelet, wondering how she knew the thing that the boy had seen was a 'fairy,' and if she would be able to find the hanyou, if she ever lost him.

A few seconds after desperately wishing that she also had something that would lead her to Kiiru--like he had been led to her--Sakura gets a fright, when a tiny man comes out of her bracelet, glaring at her while his white hair and red robe floats around him.

* * *

Oh...uh, Japan is obviously made of more than two islands. I think it's like, 3000, but I'm only talking about the 2 largest: Honshu (where Tokyo is) and Hokkaido (which is where Kiiru and Sakura are, and which is the island directly north of Honshu) I was trying to keep something simple since apparently nothing in this story is. Must work on that. Uh...is that all? I think? I gonna try to update again soon, b/c I always feel like I leave you guys hanging with this story. Anyways... :) 


	16. New Companions

Ok, ya'll. #16. It took longer than I thought. I knew what I wanted to have happen, but I couldn't get it to flow right. Hopefully it came off ok. Um...I don't think I anything to add. Dozo! ;)

* * *

Sakura unconsciously leans back, pressing against the boy behind her, blinking rapidly at what she was seeing. Kiiru also seems to be in shock, and is staring with his mouth open.

Before either one can move, the fairy begins shaking one finger at Sakura, his glare hardening as he starts speaking in incoherent syllables--nothing more than tiny _squeaks_ to the hanyou and the miko.

"What's he saying?" Kiiru finally asks, his mouth still hanging open when he finishes his question.

Sakura shakes her head, glancing up at him and slowly raising her hand to push his jaw up, not really aware of what she's doing.

But that's okay, because Kiiru isn't paying attention anyway.

The tiny man--who had apparently been reprimanding Sakura--suddenly notices the half-demon, his red eyes widening as he floats close to Kiiru's face, now waving both arms around his head, gesturing and yelling at something only he knows.

The shocked pair simply stares, completely at a loss as to what was going on. Their confusion is not helped any, when the woman apparently residing in Kiiru's bracelet appears without warning, flying in front of the man and holding her hands out in front of her.

The man stops yelling when he sees her, reaching forward and hugging the shocked woman, who blushes to the tips of her pointed ears. She turns and gives the two on the horse an embarrassed grin, before turning back to the man, who has pulled away.

Sakura and Kiiru watch in silent astonishment as the two converse in tiny squeaks and other equally confusing sounds, the man's temper slowly receeding as the woman speaks to him, being replaced by a frown, then a blank stare.

When the woman stops, the man shakes his head, visibly deflating and looking at the pair with a sorrowful expression.

"They know that we don't remember anything," Sakura whispers, not quite sure how she knows this, but positive all the same. The girl feels Kiiru nod a few seconds later.

The tiny pair stares at the larger one for a few moments before they both fly over to Kuri's ears, landing on her head and each taking an appendage to lean against, folding their transparent wings behind them. The horse doesn't seem to notice, and keeps trotting through the forest, oblivious to the small drama that had been taking place on her back.

The man crosses his bare arms over his beige shirt, shaking his head again before closing his eyes. The woman kneels down, smiling at the pair before she says something to the other fairy, to which he shrugs.

Sakura and Kiiru exchange a glance, not sure what to do regarding the tiny people. After several minutes, the miko risks asking her companion a question.

"Do you think they can understand us?" she asks, looking up at the hanyou.

The boy opens his mouth to respond, but ends up goggling slightly at something past her. Sakura turns, her eyes widening when she sees the tiny woman nodding, and the man making a sound like a scoff.

"I think that's a yes," Kiiru mumbles.

The woman nods again, before pointing to herself, then Sakura. She then moves her hand over to Kiiru, before turning her finger back on the other fairy, who has opened his eyes, and chooses now to roll them.

Sakura and Kiiru blink in confusion, not understanding what the woman was getting at. They obviously understood her gestures to mean something like she was similar to Sakura, and her partner was liken to Kiiru.

But this didn't make any sense to the pair, as neither the man nor the woman looked anything like the miko or the half-demon. Actually, except for the male fairy's light hair color and his similar hakamas, and the woman's own dark hair, they looked _nothing _alike.

The small pair was much..._prettier_, in comparison to the larger one. Their facial features were less lined, less..._troubled_, surprisingly enough. Their crimson eyes were bright and alert, and gave off a friendly light--for the most part--and the tiny bodies were lean, but well-toned.

In addition, the woman had appeared out of Kiiru's bracelet, and the man, from Sakura's. Wouldn't it have made more sense if the they had come from the opposite bracelets? The girl and boy continue to stare, at a loss as to what the fairies were trying to tell them.

"What do you think she means?" Kiiru asks, his brow furrowing.

Sakura shrugs. "I don't know. I guess we'll just have to..."

The girl's words are cut off as loud crash sounds behind them. Kiiru tightens his hold on the reins, trying to keep Kuri from bolting. The two fairies immediately take flight, hovering over the larger pair's shoulders and glaring at the dark forest.

"Is it whatever's been following us?" the miko asks, unconsciously grabbing the hanyou's haori to keep her balance as the mare fidgets in place.

"I don't think so," Kiiru says, tilting his ears toward the commotion and sneering as the faint scent of blood hits his sensitive nose. "I can smell blood coming from this..._thing_, whatever it is. The creature that's been following us doesn't want us to know what it is. Not yet, at least. This thing doesn't care."

Sakura simply blinks when Kiiru finishes, her heart starting to beat faster as the sounds of falling trees and breaking branches reaches her ears, accompanied by what sounds like roaring.

When a flock of small birds takes flight only 100 or so feet from them, Kiiru decides that the creature is too close.

"Hang on."

The miko nods, grabbing the boy's arm through his sleeve as Kiiru loosens his hold on the reins, letting the horse decide her own speed as he nudges her a little with his feet. Kuri begins to trot faster, quickly weaving her way in and out of the plants blocking their path.

The boy watches the horse's nervous attitude for a few seconds before turning his head and blinking in surprise.

The two fairies are still hovering in the same spot they were a moment ago.

The woman says something to her comapanion, who nods before streaking into the darkness, the other fairy right on his heels.

"What are...the...the..."

"Fairies."

"The...fairies?" Kiiru asks, raising his brows as he turns back to Sakura.

"Um...yeah. You don't know what they are?" she asks, frowning slightly at the hanyou.

Kiiru shakes his head, then echoes her expression. "How do you know what they are?"

The girl blinks, her mouth opening slightly as she stares at the boy. "I...I don't know. I just know that's what they're called."

The half-demon holds his frown for a few more seconds, then pulls his lips back a little to reveal his fangs. Sakura feels her heart skip a beat, afraid for a moment that the boy is angry again.

"I would've told you, if I knew that you didn't know."

Kiiru slowly lets his face relax, closing his eyes for a moment as he sighs, resting his face briefly against the girl's hair. "I think there's something else going on here," he says, ignoring the confused look that crosses the miko's face. "Let's figure out what's following us first; we can talk about it later."

Sakura nods hesitantly--still lost as to what the boy meant--but unwilling to push the subject. Instead, she returns to the question he was trying to ask.

"I don't know what they're doing," she says, glancing past the boy. "Maybe they're...coming back?"

Kiiru turns around, his eyes widening as the flying pair stops a few feet away and holds that position as Kuri continues to move forward. The tiny people immediately begin gesturing, waving their small arms in a side-to-side gesture, so that their hands cross in front of their faces. They then point to their faces, the tips of their fingers only inches from their red eyes.

The hanyou and the miko stare.

"I...I don't understand," Sakura says, frowning slightly and turning to Kiiru to see if the boy has had any better luck deciphering what the fairies were saying.

The hanyou just blinks, shaking his head slightly, his expression echoing the girl's. The tiny people finally grow frustrated, stopping their gesturing and clenching their fists by their sides.

For several seconds neither the man nor the woman move, then they turn to each other, speaking in what seems to be whispers, though their lowered voices aren't really necessary as neither Sakura nor Kiiru understand what they're saying anyway.

After about a minute the woman turns, holding up the pointing finger of her right hand to get the larger pair's attention, while the other fairy simply floats about a foot away, a determined look on his face.

Once the half-demon and the miko are looking at her, the tiny woman repeats her previous gesture slowly, crossing and uncrossing her arms in front of her several times, her small lips making an 'o' shape. Eventually, Sakura speaks.

"No? You're trying to say 'No' ?"

The man and woman nod fervently, then stop when a loud roar sounds only feet behind them.

Kiiru curses under his breath as Kuri bolts, somehow managing to keep both himself and the girl on the panicked horse when the forest suddenly ends and the small group finds themselves in front of a wide plain.

The horse doesn't waste any time, but immediately starts running as fast as she can, trying to get away from whatever's following them.

"Find out what they're saying," Kiiru says, loosening his hold on the girl's waist, then slowly withdrawing his arm when Sakura keeps herself balanced on the mare's back.

"What are you going to do?" the girl responds, her voice gaining a slightly higher pitch when the boy rises to his feet and crouches on Kuri's rump.

"I'm going to have a little visit with our..._friend._"

"Wh...?"

Sakura doesn't get a chance to finish her question, as Kiiru quickly turns and jumps from the horse, running back toward the forest, withdrawing his sword as the trees shake, their cause quickly getting closer.

The fairies release identical, squealing yells, the woman streaking after the hanyou, her wings leaving a glittering trail as the afternoon sun reflects off them.

The man stays by Sakura as she pulls on Kuri's reins, finally slowing the horse to a stop several hundred feet from the hanyou and the female fairy, who seem to be having an argument. As the horse fidgets nervously in place, the male fairy turns to Sakura, pointing in anger at the distant pair before shaking a finger at her again. Strangely finding herself annoyed, Sakura interrupts his tirade.

"Instead of blaming me--or whatever it is you're doing--I suggest that you find a way to tell me what you two were going to say."

The man stops ranting, his face sliding into an astonished gape before an almost evil grin crosses his features and he nods at the miko approvingly.

He repeats his companions' gesture--nodding again when Sakura says, 'no'--then covers his eyes with both hands.

The girl blinks.

"What?"

The tiny man removes his hands, glaring at the priestess before covering his eyes again. Sakura still doesn't get it.

"I don't understand. That doesn't make any sense to me," she says repeating the fairy's movements on herself. "I don't see what..."

The girl stops abruptly, dropping her hands and staring at the man.

"No...see? What does that mean?"

The tiny man glares at her, a low, audible growl reaching her ears, even though the sound is very faint. Floating up to her face, the fairy puts his small hand on one of her cheeks, forcing the girl to turn her head toward their companions.

He repeats his 'no see' gesture, then points one finger forcefully at the trees, which are no longer shaking. Instead, Sakura see what she can only describe as a shimmering of the air in front of the hanyou, before she understands what the fairies were trying to tell them.

"_Invisible_?" the girl says, her voice sounding weak. "The...thing's _invisible_?"

Sakura swallows the lump in her throat when the man nods, hesitating only a second before snapping the ends of the reins on Kuri's backside, urging the horse back toward the forest.

She only makes it about half the distance before the mare refuses to go any further, sliding to a quick stop and almost rearing. The horse's dark eyes are wide, and her breathing heavy, but the mare refuses all of Sakura's attempts to press her on, shaking her head and stamping one foot in revolt.

The miko utters a quiet curse at the animal's fear, but is actually silently impressed that the horse went this close to danger. Glancing up, the girl feels her heart jump into her throat as she sees Kiiru flying through the air, but somehow manages to find her voice when the boy lands on his feet, sliding backward in the tall grass, his sword cutting a swath on one side of his body.

"It's invisible!" the girl screams, not realizing that--at this distance--the boy probably can't hear her.

Kiiru turns a quick glare at her as the female fairy flies up next to him, pulling on one of his sleeves. Sakura sees him mouth '_Oh?,'_ adding what the girl can tell is an overly-sarcastic expression to his word.

Sneering slightly at the boy and wondering just how good his hearing is, Sakura unslings her bow, drawing an arrow and holding both ready, should Kiiru need her.

The half-demon turns back to the tiny woman pulling desperately on him, only just getting out of the way before a large indentation is made in the ground where he'd been crouching.

Sakura watches the hanyou sprint in wide arc away from his previous position--and her--heading back to the trees. The girl watches his back for a moment before she notices the grass parting directly behind him, the waving strands gaining distance from him and getting _closer _to her.

The girl hesitates for only a second before she screams.

"KIIRU!"

Sakura fights the overwhelming panic rising in her throat, fumbling with the reins as she jerks the mare around, kicking with both feet and stifling another yell as her broken ankle throbs painfully.

Tightening her fingers around her weapon to distract herself, Sakura sees the male fairy flying beside her, scowling and muttering angrily to himself.

Not even bothering to try to figure out what's irritating him, the girl glances over her shoulder, seeing Kiiru chasing her and the invisible figure between them, the small woman glittering by his head.

"We need to see it," the girl mumbles, frustrated.

Because she was mostly talking to herself, Sakura is surprised when the small man apparently speaks to her, then appears behind Kuri, streaking away.

Pulling the horse back into a brisk walk, the girl keeps her eyes on the small glitter as it comes to a stop several yards away, her dark eyes shifting briefly to the identical sparkle that somehow stops Kiiru in his tracks.

Sakura guesses that the female fairy probably tweaked the hanyou's nose, from the way the boy cringes and slaps his free hand over his face. Fighting to hide a small grin, the miko watches the tiny woman's glittering trail as she flies toward her companion, meeting him high in the air.

Now able to hear a rumbling over her panicked breaths and Kuri's nervous hoofbeats, Sakura watches the fairies in confusion, then awe, as their..._sparkles _combine and grow larger.

Looking to Kiiru to see if he's as lost as she is, the miko sees the boy staring open-mouthed, before he seems to come back to himself and starts running toward her.

Shifting her gaze back, the girl feels her jaw drop as she sees a giant, slightly-bluish outline of the thing that had been following them, what the girl assumes to be it's head towering more than twenty feet in the air.

Releasing a ground-shaking roar because it realizes that it can now be seen, the demon starts barreling toward the miko, apparently deciding that she is the reason he's no longer invisible.

Frozen in place because of the intruder's sudden appearance, Sakura realizes too late that her mount can also see the creature, and can only scream as Kuri rears--yanking the reins from the girl's hand and bolting in the opposite direction from the demon as the miko crashes to the ground.

Painfully raising her head a few seconds later--and wishing that she hadn't--Sakura bites down hard on her tongue to keep from screaming again, as the creature looms above her, only feet away.

Seeing the thing's teeth glistening at her, Sakura only vaguely registers the fact that Kiiru has yelled, before several large flashes of yellow light fill her vision and she ducks low to the ground.

"Sakura?!"

The girl raises her head as she feels a hand on her arm, suddenly finding herself held tightly between two strong arms, her face buried in Kiiru's chest.

"Are you alright?"

The miko nods as she pulls away and sees the worried expression on the hanyou's face, then winces as an aching pain runs up her spine.

It takes a moment before the two notice that the small man and woman are nowhere to be found.

* * *

Ok? For anyone's who's wondering, I'll get back to what Sango, Miroku, and the others are doing. Probably the next chap. They'll have a few things going on, but most of their time will be spent waiting frustratingly. I'm an Inu/Kag fan, and this story is supposed to center mostly on them, so it'll probably be 3 or 4 chaps with just them, per one of the others. And I should be introducing some other charcters in the near future (well, near chapter-wise) that will give more info on how Sakura and Kiiru got into their current situation. I think that's all... ) 


	17. Onward

My brain didn't want to work for this chap. I don't know why, I just seemed to have trouble with it. Uh...I don't think I have anything to say before this one. Uh...ok. :)_

* * *

_

_She seems to be almost a magnet for trouble... _

Kiiru sighs, brushing a few strands of the girl's dark locks away from her face.

"I said, 'no,' Sakura. I saw you fall off Kuri; you landed hard on your side. You're lucky you didn't dislocate your shoulder."

"But...I can't just lay here...with that..._thing_...over there, Kiiru. Others are sure to...notice and come...looking."

Sakura presses her lips together, trying to hide the small whimper that escapes between them. She tries to take a deep breath, but ends up coughing lightly instead.

_Did she hurt something else when she fell? _

Kiiru utters a low growl as he stands, praying that the girl is just winded and bruised as he gives her a look that says she's better stay put. Sakura rolls her eyes at him, but doesn't move as the boy walks over to the creature.

_Is it a demon?_

The hanyou sneers as he stops beside the huge beast, covering his nose as the scent of death begins to surround the corpse. The demon had been thrown some distance away when the boy's attack hit it--which Kiiru is thankful for--as it is completely visible now that it's been killed, and he didn't want the girl to see it.

Kiiru stares down at the bluish-green body, the huge gashes from his sword's attack cutting straight through its thick skin, showing most of its innards. A double set of horns starts over the creature's large, opaque eyes, and runs almost the entire length of the youkai's body.

Dozens of dangerous, razor-edged teeth show in its now-silent roar, and the blood that coats both them and the inches-long claws on each of the three digits per paw still smells warm to the hanyou. Kiiru thinks that it has the vaguest resemblance to a bear, but no kuma he'd ever see would come close to being this grotesque.

_It would've eaten us...had it caught either me or Sakura. Or even Kuri. I don't doubt that at all..._

The boy bares his fangs at the creature before turning his back on it, snorting to get the stench out of his nostrils.

"It's definitely dead," he says, returning to Sakura and pausing a moment to look around the wide plain they had run across. He doesn't mention what the creature actually looks like, as he doesn't want to scare the girl anymore than she already had been. "I can see Kuri by that small stand of trees there."

The boy drops his arm, frowning a moment at the bracelet that slides back down to his wrist before lifting his nose into the air, inhaling deeply. He then narrows his gaze, slowly turning in a complete circle before he speaks to the girl.

"Us and Kuri and the demon are the only things I can sense. The fairies aren't here."

Sakura feels her lips slide downward.

The small man and woman had helped make the demon visible, but neither she nor the hanyou had seen them since the boy's attack had killed it. The girl shivers as a sudden idea hits her.

"You...you didn't hit..._them_, did you, Kiiru?" she whispers, afraid of his answer.

Kiiru slowly turns his gaze on her, sneering slightly. "_Nooo_..."

The half-demon stops, blinking to himself as the word 'stupid' flows through his mind, the fact that he'd almost said the word aloud surprising him. He shakes his head to clear it, deciding that an answer dripping with sarcasm and insults wouldn't be the best way to respond to the girl.

"No, Sakura," he says, starting again and biting down on his irritation that she'd even asked. It takes him another second to realize that the girl hadn't seen him use the sword's abilities.

_Oh... That's why she asked..._

"I saw them floating for second after the demon_...appeared_, but I was too concerned with getting to it before it got to you, and didn't look to see where they'd gone. The attack wasn't anywhere near where they were, though."

Sakura releases the breath she'd been holding, then frowns as Kiiru kneels beside her, slinging her pack, bow, and quiver over his shoulders before gently sliding one arm under her back, the other under her knees.

"Where did they go, then? I've tried, uh...calling mine...uh, the man, but he hasn't appeared," she says, as Kiiru lifts her into the air. She fights the slight blush creeping onto her cheeks, which is helped by the aching pain that runs up her side and arm.

The girl cringes, leaning into the boy and grabbing a fistful of his haori with the hand of her uninjured arm. She rests her cheek against his shoulder, missing his question because she was trying to catch her breath.

"What?" she asks after a minute, not bothering to raise her head to look at Kiiru.

"I asked if you hurt a lot."

Sakura feels a slight smile cross her lips, despite her pain. It was obvious by his softened tone that the hanyou was worried about her.

"Yeah...but I should be alright in a few days. I think I'm just bruised, mostly."

Kiiru nods. "I hope it's that simple. I wanna make sure those're the only injuries you have, but you're right. We don't need to stay by that creature. It's not safe."

The boy glances down at the girl in his arms, his expression echoing his concern when he sees her trembling, and the pale skin around her closed eyes.

_Don't worry, Sakura. I won't let anything else happen to you..._

**OoooOoooO**

"I can't move..."

"That's the point."

Sakura glares at the boy, who is obviously trying to hold back a smirk at her expense while he cooks some fish and a few of the vegetables the villagers had given them. The girl switches her gaze to her side, sneering at the way her arm is now trapped against her torso.

After the pair had reached and calmed Kuri--which took the better part of an hour--Kiiru had examined Sakura's shoulder and side, finding several large bruises, and her first four ribs tender to the touch. The bones weren't broken, but the boy didn't want to chance injuring them further and proceeded to wrap her shoulder and torso individually before tying her arm to her side with more bindings.

"How am I supposed to travel like this? I can't walk because of my ankle, and now my arm is useless," she moans, leaning back against the tree behind her.

Kiiru watches the girl gazing helplessly at him, her lips sticking out in a small pout. He shakes his head, smirking again to himself.

"At least you can't run away from me now," he says, skewering a fish, a potato, two small tomatoes, and several mushrooms for the girl, ignoring her flushed gape. "You won't be doing that for several weeks, during which time I'll be taking care of you."

Sakura takes the stick from the boy and drops her gaze to the ground, blushing again at the light laugh Kiiru makes as he goes back to his own food.

"I'm kidding, Sakura. Now eat your dinner."

The girl takes a bite out of one of the mushrooms, not really tasting it as she chews. She watches the boy almost inhale one of his fish before starting on another, essentially ignoring her now that he's started eating. Sakura lifts her stick again to try one of the tomatoes, but ends up dropping her food and gasping instead.

_A vision... It has to be..._

"Sakura?"

The girl blinks, the apparitions disappearing as quickly as they had come. Kiiru frowns with half of his potato in his hand, looking back and forth between the pale girl's face and the food now lying in her lap.

"Is it too hot? Mine's fi..."

"No; it's not the food," Sakura says, shaking her head to try and get her thoughts together. "I just...saw something. I think... I think I was remembering."

The hanyou stares, his golden eyes bulging slightly for a moment before drops his own food and gets to his feet.

"What did you see?" he asks, moving to the girl and kneeling beside her, looking back at the fire as if he hopes he might be able to see what she had.

"It... we were sitting around a fire. Like we are now. But..."

The girl stops, squinting her lids shut as she tries to picture in her mind what her eyes had just 'seen.' Kiiru forces himself to stay quiet--not wanting to rush the girl in case the vision should fade even more--but unable to stop his hands from clenching in anticipation.

"...I could see you clearly, Kiiru. You were the only one I _knew_... but you weren't the _only_ one," Sakura says, her eyes still shut tightly. "There... there was..."

The miko stops again, opening her eyes, a slightly blank look over them as she gazes at the small crackling fire a few feet away.

"A woman...there," she says, pointing a little to her left. "And a man, opposite her. They both... they were looking at you."

Sakura frowns slightly, turning to Kiiru, her gaze clearing a few seconds later. "You were mad at me."

The hanyou stares, blinking a few times in confusion as the girl's liquid gaze finds his own, her lips drifting downward into a frown.

"Why would you be mad at me?" she whispers, tears beginning to form in her dark eyes.

Kiiru's mouth drops open slightly, before he abruptly shakes his head, turning a scowl on the miko.

"How am I supposed to know that? How do _you_ even know that?" he says, purposely keeping the annoyance out of his tone.

He wanted to reassure the girl that--obviously--he wasn't mad at her, but he also wanted her to see how foolish her question was. It was Sakura's vision. How could she possibly blame him for something that happened in their past, but which neither could remember anything about at the moment?

Kiiru simply watches the girl staring right back at him, his expression as relaxed as he could make it under his irritation. He blinks when another frown abruptly crosses the miko's features.

"You were...glaring at me. And I had the impression that you had been yelling, which was why the man and woman were looking at you... No, that's not right," Sakura says, her brow furrowing.

The girl glances past the fire, then looks down at a spot slightly in front of her, just past her toes, tilting her head slightly.

"You...had been yelling, Kiiru. But... I think I had been, before that," she says, turning back to the boy. "I...don't know what it was about. And I don't know how I know. And...I think I was going to yell at you again. Which was why the man and woman were looking at you."

Kiiru finds himself watching Sakura's cheeks as a light blush crosses them, his heart doing a strange sort of flip-flop at her blush, and a one-sided smirk starting to form on his lips.

"Why?" he suddenly asks, trying to prevent the heat he can feel rising up the back of his neck from turning into a flush like the girl's. Now was not the time to be flirting with her, and neither was it appropriate for him to find amusement in the situation, when Sakura was obviously upset that she had apparently yelled at him.

"Why...what?" Sakura asks, forcing herself to meet the hanyou's gaze, despite her discomfort.

Kiiru seems to be caught off-guard that she didn't know what he was talking about, and simply opens and closes his mouth a few times before finally saying something audible.

"Why were they looking at me if you were going to yell next? Shouldn't they have been looking at you?" he asks, scowling slightly to cover the heat that had made it's way onto his face anyway.

Sakura considers the boy for a moment before turning away, swallowing the lump in her throat that had suddenly appeared when she saw the look in the boy's honey-colored eyes, before he had stuttered.

Forgeting for a second that she was supposed to be answering his question, the miko takes a deep breath, shifting her arm slightly and feeling it brush against the boy's knee.

_Now is not the time to be thinking about him like that..._ the girl tells herself, closing her eyes again to get her brain to focus, and also to block out the blushing half-demon that was currently occupying her head.

"I...don't know," she eventually says, raising her eyes back to his. "That would make sense, but..."

Sakura trails off, giving the boy an apologetic look before shrugging. Kiiru holds her gaze for a few seconds, then sighs. The half-demon glances over to his now-cold dinner, eyeing it distastefully for a moment before he sits down cross-legged beside the girl and drums his claws across one knee.

"Friends?" he eventually asks, without looking at the miko.

Sakura watches his hand for a second. "Y...yes," she says, unsurely. Kiiru turns toward her. "I...don't know for certain, but why else would we have been sitting with them; letting them... _watch _our argument?"

Kiiru frowns at the girl's words, then nods, growling lightly.

"Could you tell what they looked like?"

Sakura is already shaking her head. "No. I could just tell that it was a man and a woman, both human, and both with dark hair. That's all."

The hanyou growls again--a little louder this time--but doesn't comment. After several minutes he stands, picking up Sakura's food and moving back to his own, setting both sticks over the fire again.

The miko watches him, catching the boy's gaze when he lays down on his side, propping his head on one hand. Despite his almost blank expression, Sakura can tell exactly what the boy is feeling.

Neither one of them was hungry anymore.

**OoooOoooO**

Miroku tightens his arm around the tajiya in front of him, as Kilala banks to their right, heading into a steep climb. Sango turns her face slightly toward him, lifting one hand and placing her fingers over his before she faces forward again.

_We'll never find it. Not..._

"Where are we going?"

The monk almost jumps at the small voice that floats up to his ears. He glances down at the kitsune sitting in his lap, the demon's tiny paws holding tightly to the back of Sango's slayer outfit. Miroku gives Shippo a small smile, raising a hand to pat him on the head.

"We're going to find the one who made you forget us, Shippo," he says, keeping his voice as light as he can.

The young youkai stares up at him for a few seconds before he nods, a slight frown crossing his features before he turns forward again, moving his head so that he can see past Sango. Miroku bites back a sigh.

He and the tajiya had only left the village because it was something to do. Neither one of them held any real hope that they'd be able to find the one who took Shippo and Koga's memories, and made Inuyasha and Kagome disappear.

Shippo--when he found out that Kilala was leaving--had adamantly refused to be parted with the nekomata. Sango and Miroku tried to explain that they didn't know how long they were going to be gone, and that it was likely to be dangerous--especially for him, given his condition--but the fox refused to believe them.

The kitsune seemed almost to think that they were trying to trick him, and even went so far as to threaten to run away before the humans gave in and decided to let him come along. Shippo seemed almost pleased with himself after they agreed, and Kaede suggested that some of their little friend was still coming through, despite his memory loss. Now the four of them were flying west, to visit a shrine maiden that was rumored to have past dealings with mind-altering demons.

"Think they're back yet?"

Miroku glances up from the small river he had been watching curve back and forth below them, the water glistening in the bright morning sun each time they passed through a cloud. The monk looks behind him, thinking.

"Probably not. I think it will take almost a day for them to get back to the cave."

Sango nods, absently stroking Kilala as they continue to soar through the air, the feline releasing a low growl of contentment.

When the pair had reached their decision to leave, Hakkaku and Ginta had suggested that they take Koga back to their cave. The wolf-prince would be more likely to remember something in familiar surroundings, and the two demons could keep a better eye on him if they had some of their wolves around to help.

The den wasn't too far away from Kaede's village, and they could be back quickly if Koga happened to remember something, the same being true for Shippo, or if Inuyasha and Kagome should happen to show up.

The monk and slayer had been reluctant until Kaede had spoken, saying that the potion would work, regardless of location; they only had to wait the correct amount of time.

The pair had then given in, making the two demons promise to return Koga if he should remember _anything_ that might help them find the hanyou and miko. With a double salute, the duo had given their word, then left with their very confused leader.

"How long to this shrine?" Sango asks, turning to face the boy, her voice weary and strained.

Miroku feels his heart saddening at the pain in her tone, but before he can reply, Shippo says something that almost makes the pair fall off the flying cat.

"Inuyasha wouldn't care. He'd just want to get there as soon as possible."

* * *

Alright? La la la... I'm tired right now...


	18. The First Snow

#18. Ugh. I worked forever on this one, and I haven't the slightest clue why. (shrug) Oh, well. It's up now. :) I'll talk more at the end. Dozo!

* * *

"This is a bad idea..."

"Shouldn't I be the one saying that?"

"Probably...," Sakura says, glancing down at the hanyou, a small frown crossing her face. "So... why _aren't_ you?"

Kiiru takes another look through the snow-covered bushes he was kneeling behind, eyeing the wall around the distant village for a moment before he stands up. He makes his way back to Kuri and scratches between the mare's ears as he sighs, both he and the girl ignoring the soft chattering coming from his each of his shoulders.

"For one thing, I'm hoping that village will have a doctor. I wrapped your injuries the best I knew how, but I'd feel better if someone who knew what they were doing checked them. Also...what if it storms again?"

The girl sneers slightly to herself. It had snowed last night. Hard.

The pair had woken up to find a blanket of the soft, white precipitation covering everything. Kuri; their packs; the now-dead fire. Nothing had escaped unscathed, and the hanyou and miko had spent most of the morning drying their things off and trying to get warm again.

They had been traveling for the past few hours, stopping for a few minutes so that Sakura could stretch when Kiiru had seen what they assumed to be a village in the distance. Other than the half-dozen tendrils of smoke curling above the high, logged wall, however, there was no other sign that the village was inhabited.

"Do you think it will?" Sakura asks, looking up at the cloudy grey sky above them, a worried frown on her face.

Kiiru considers the girl for a moment, narrowing his gaze at the flush on her cheeks that matches his haori.

Sakura was currently wearing the robes she'd gotten in Grandmother's village, and also the boy's red-fur haori, which he had given her to wear when he'd seen her shivering, though she hadn't complained. She'd tried to refuse on the pretense that he would freeze, too, but Kiiru had insisted, saying that he really wasn't that cold, anyway.

Kiiru was actually lying so that the miko wouldn't feel guilty, as Sakura needed the warmth more than he did. The hanyou doesn't tell her that the he can hear the slight strain that had entered her breathing, and also the way that her fingernails were slowly turning a light blue color under the egde of her sleeves. He forces the frown off his face before replying.

"I don't know," the half-demon says, following her line-of-sight and inhaling deeply. "I think it'll probably snow more this afternoon or tonight, but the storm should pass by tomorrow."

"So it would be a good idea to stay the night, at least," the girl replies, looking back at the hanyou with a resigned roll of her eyes. "But I still don't like it."

Kiiru smirks a little at her, not really amused as he nods. "Are we agreed then?"

Sakura shrugs, trying to cover the shiver that runs up her spine at the nervous look in the boy's golden eyes. She can agree with Kiiru's reasoning, but still finds herself unable to shake the bad feeling she got when she glanced at the distant wall.

"Just promise me something?" the miko says, grabbing his shoulder as the boy kneels to lift her back onto the mare.

"What?"

Sakura hesitates a moment as she takes a deep breath, watching the small puff of hazy air float between them as it slowly dissipates.

"Promise me...that if this village doesn't..._like_... demons... That you won't make me stay, Kiiru."

The boy feels the beginnings of another frown crossing his face, but chooses to ignore it by bending and lifting the girl in his arms, then jumping lightly onto Kuri's back and setting her down. He stays crouched behind Sakura for several seconds, rearranging his haori around her until she's settled, then hops back to the ground and takes the horse's reins, leading them out of the forest.

"Why?" he finally says, his voice slightly muffled because he hadn't turned to face the girl as he spoke.

Sakura is quiet for several seconds, having seen the boy's guarded expression and understanding why he was suddenly upset. She watches his back; his long, silver hair swaying slightly as he moves; the billowing of his bright, red hakamas against the stark whiteness of the powder surrounding them; the adorable pointed ears that are tilting in different directions, trying to pick up potential threats.

The girl lets her gaze switch to their small companions--one on each of the half-demon's shoulders--who are now strangely silent as they stare ahead, despite having not shut up once since they had reappeared.

The tiny pair had shown up the morning after they had vanished, acting just like they did before; slightly excited and still unable to communicate with anyone but each other. Sakura and Kiiru had tried to ask them where they had gone, but after almost an hour of frustration, all four of them simply gave up.

"Well?" Kiiru asks, stopping and turning to the girl when she doesn't answer. He sees her looking at the wooden structure some distance away, frowning to herself. Misinterpreting the girl's request, he sighs to himself, his tone subdued. "I'll be fine out here for a few days. The fairies can keep me company..."

"No, Kiiru," Sakura whispers, shaking her head at the hanyou that has one brow cocked at her. "I don't have any way to defend myself," she says, suddenly finding herself close to tears when the boy frowns, his expression wary. "I can't walk, and I can't use my bow. I can barely dress myself, or eat. If these people decide that they...don't want me to leave, I won't be able to do anything about it."

The boy doesn't speak for a moment, feeling a sqeeezing sensation in his chest at the unshed tears in the girl's dark eyes. Sakura brings up his sleeve and wipes them away, turning an intense stare on him. Kiiru finally swallows the lump in his throat, uttering a soft grow as he turns, narrowing his eyes at the distant wall.

"They wouldn't dare," he mumbles, seemingly more to himself than anyone else.

Sakura doesn't respond as the hanyou tightens his hold on the reins, now almost stomping through the snowdrifts, the white flakes flying to either side of the boy in waves. The miko feels a shiver run through her at the sense of power she can feel floating off the boy. The female fairy that had been sitting on his left shoulder stands up, spreading her glittering wings and flying back to the girl, settling on the mare's whithers between Sakura's hands.

The small woman pats the girl's fingers, giving her an apologetic grin and shrugging back at the two boys. The miko smiles a little at her, looking up to see the male fairy muttering something to Kiiru, though the hanyou can't possibly know what he's saying.

"Are...are you..._angry_...?"

"No. Yes," Kiiru says, stopping a moment and clenching his fists together. "But not at you, Sakura."

The boy is quiet for a few seconds before he speaks, snorting loudly in irritation.

"Let's just say that they will have an upset half-demon with a large sword to deal with if they even _think_ about keeping me away from you."

The miko feels her cheeks getting warm as the boy starts to walk again, oblivious to her reaction as he continues to stare ahead. Sakura stares at the small puffs of warm air coming from Kuri's nostrils, letting her mind roam, though she really doesn't have that much to think about. A soft _clink_ draws her attention, where Kiiru is fingering the hilt of his sword, sliding the blade out of it's scabbard a few inches before pushing it back, repeating the motion several times while the small man on his opposite shoulder looks on with approval.

_Wait? What does he mean, 'large sword' ?_

The girl frowns, tilting her head at the seemingly useless weapon before she remembers that Kiiru had told her he had used to sword to battle the tora, that it had 'transformed,' and that some kind of attack had come from the blade.

"Kiiru?"

"Yeah?"

"What does your sword look like?"

The hanyou stops, turning to the miko with a confused tilt of his head as the fairies echo his expression, their small mouths open in silent astonishment. "You saw..."

Kiiru stops, his brows furrowing as he remembers that Sakura had yet to really see his sword, or it's attack. She'd been trapped underneath the tree by the crocodile, and hadn't seen him use it then, nor did she see it when she'd destroyed the demon, as it had reverted back to it's rusty form by the time she'd gotten to the beach. He hadn't had to use it in the village, and Sakura wasn't with him fighting the tora. The boy opens his mouth to ask why she hadn't seen it while he was fighting the 'invisible' demon, but the miko beats him to it.

"You were too far away and were moving too fast. And the grass was like it is here: tall and thick, so I couldn't see the sword well. I caught glimpses of silver when the sun glinted off of it, but that was the most I saw. I ducked my head before you released it's attack, so I didn't see that, either, though I'm guessing that it's pretty powerful, since you killed that demon in one shot." Sakura smiles at the soft blush that's crawling across Kiiru's cheeks. "Grandmother was right; you are strong. Though I'm pretty sure I knew that already."

The boy drops his eyes from the miko's laughing gaze, mumbling something that sounds like 'if you say so' under his breath, while the pair's small comrades snicker into their hands. Kiiru shuffles his feet through the snow a few times before raising his face back to hers.

"You want to see it then?" he asks, a combination of pride and nervousness making his voice waver slightly.

Sakura nods, smiling again when an identical grin forms on the boy's face. He reaches for his sword then stops abruptly, his expression falling into a frown.

"Kiiru?"

The boy remains silent, turning a glare on the distant wall for a moment before he utters a small growl, tugging on Kuri's reins to get the mare to turn so that she's parallel to the village, her profile blocking most of the half-demon. The roan gives a soft snort of irritation, as she had figured out that they were heading for safety and warmth, and was as eager as the others to get out of the cold.

Sakura stares in confusion at the boy until he looks up, making sure that he's well hidden behind the horse, sneering a little into the distance.

"In case anyone is watching," he says, hearing Sakura give a quiet gasp and the two tiny people make something that sounds like approving squeaks.

The miko nods again, looking at the wall with narrowed eyes before she turns back to the boy, who's smile has returned. She finds herself staring in awe a moment later, when the boy pulls the sword from his hip, a yellow-white spark erupting from the throat of the scabbard as the supposed tattered weapon transforms into a large, curved, very deadly-looking blade, it's guard now defined by a waving of soft, intensely white fur, instead of the plain brass one that it's smaller form had.

Kiiru tilts the weapon on it's side and the miko sees the sharp edge of the blade strike an ominous but beautiful gleam as the small amount of sunlight filtering between the clouds flashes down it's edge. She swallows the lump in her throat, praying that she never finds herself at the pointed end of this weapon.

"Fang," she says suddenly, shock crossing her face as she realizes that Kiiru has just uttered the exact same word she has. The pair stares at one another, neither the miko nor the hanyou able to speak, the quiet sounds of heated bickering finally reaching their ears and snapping them out of the astonishment.

"What're they arguing about?" Kiiru asks, resheathing his sword and giving the girl a frown as he watches the fairies floating a few inches away from Kuri's head, the horse not at all amused by the buzzing in her ear. She gives a whinny of annoyance, after which everyone seems to freeze.

Sakura, Kiiru, and the two tiny people exchange semi-alarmed looks, as the sound had carried quite well over the expanse of essentially nothing between themselves and the village. Everyone remains quiet, hardly daring to breathe as they wait for a sign from the wall that they had been noticed.

"If there's anyone in there, they certainly know that someone's out here now," Sakura says, finding her hands shaking in her lap. She frowns down at them, fisting them against each other as Kiiru utters a soft growl. "I don't think we'll have a choice abo..."

The girl stops as the unmistakable sound of a very large door moving on it's hinges echoes across the white expanse, followed by muffled shouting.

"I guess we shouldn't linger then."

Kiiru picks up Kuri's reins a moment later, trudging through the snow, slight mumbling floating back to the miko's ears. Sakura releases the breath she'd been holding, again feeling a shiver of dread wash over her as she looks up and sees small dark blobs moving against the wooden structure.

"Is it still following us?" the girl whispers, trying to change the subject, at least for the moment.

The miko frowns at the back of the hanyou's silver head when he doesn't immediately respond, watching his tense posture move beneath his robes. The boy nods, seeming to relax a little at Sakura's attempt to ease the tension hanging over them.

"Yes," he finally answers, not bothering to turn around. "Ever since we left this morning."

The strange presence they had felt before the invisible demon attacked them had returned, but still hadn't bothered to approach the travelers. The hanyou had heard it snuffling in the early morning darkness around their campsite, apparently digging in the snow-covered ground.

The creature--whatever it was--sounded like it was looking for something. Kiiru had woken Sakura before leaving her to find it, when he thought the thing was close by. Unfortunately, their follower had avoided both the half-demon and the fairies, much to the everyone's annoyance.

Once the sun had risen higher in the sky and the pair had warmed themselves from removing the snow from all of their things, the tiny, winged people had found a pair of identical trenches under the snow, each about three inches deep, going around the perimeter of the campsite. All of them were puzzled by this discovery, but hadn't lingered over it too long, going on their way shortly afterward.

"It doesn't seem to be a threat, anyway," Sakura says after a minute, immediately hearing a low growl coming back to her. "You think it is, Kiiru?"

The hanyou just keeps walking for several more feet before he answers. "Maybe. Maybe not. But I'm not going to take any chances," he finally says, coming to a stop again as they mount a small rise and get their first close-up view of the village. "Just like with these people."

Sakura shifts her gaze from they boy, and almost immediately wishes she hadn't. Standing a little more than a hundred feet away are half-a-dozen armed men--all wearing some kind of leather armor and carrying various large weapons. Two with overly-long spears; one with what looks like a spiked club on the end of a chain; two holding some kind of wooden contraptions with arrows on the top; and one--the leader--with a pair of double-bladed axes, one in each hand.

Another half-dozen men stand behind these, wearing no armor but each is carrying an individual staff. These men have hoods over their heads, and are wearing medium-colored purple robes, seemingly trying convey to others that they have spiritual powers. Soft words can be heard coming from behind the large draw-bridge like door to the men's left, signaling the fact that there were even more people watching behind the safety of the walls.

"I told you this was a bad idea," Sakura finds herself whispering, as the men continue to do nothing but stare at herself and Kiiru, something between a scowl and curiosity on their faces.

"Too late now," the boy mumbles, taking a few shallow breaths before he begins forward again, his full attention trained on the men.

Kiiru stops when he's about a dozen feet away from the door, keeping one hand tightly wrapped around Kuri's reins, and the other clenched by his side, so that he doesn't grab the hilt of his sword and threaten these men who are so obviously warriors. The men glance back and forth between him and the girl on the horse, confusion flashing across their expressions, though their stance and the grip each one has on his weapon doesn't relax. Finally, the man with the two axes speaks.

"What is your business here?" he asks, a raspy, almost-choked edge to his words as his gaze narrows on the hanyou.

Kiiru feels a hot anger welling up from deep in his chest, and instinctively draws his lips back to reveal his fangs, but Sakura speaks before he can do anything more than utter a soft growl.

"We wish for a place to rest for a bit; out of the cold and damp. And if it isn't too much trouble, perhaps accommodations for the night."

Sakura takes a slow, deep breath when she finishes, though she isn't as nervous about the request as she thought she'd be. Both she and Kiiru remain still, as the men frown slightly at her words, glancing at each other out of the corners of their eyes. After several seconds, however, the miko notices that the men in the purple robes have shifted positions slightly, and are now all facing Kiiru, though it's hardly noticeable since they're hoods are shadowing the upper parts of their faces. Sakura finds her eyes widening when she sees the men wordlessly mouthing something, the tips of their staffs reflecting the sparse sunlight just a little too much to be coincidence.

"Anything else?" the man with the axes asks politely, apparently having assumed that he should address Sakura and turning a forced smile on her, his fingers tightening on his weapons.

The miko feels a wave of white-hot rage crashing over her at the audacity these people had to try and curse--or perhaps something worse--Kiiru, without even knowing him. Sakura narrows her dark eyes on the men, her words coming out as a low, threatening growl, though she's only half-aware of what she's actually saying.

"Yes. I'd thank-you not to kill my servant, if you would be so kind."

* * *

Hehehe. Yes, it does sound like what it's going to be. This just popped into my head one day and I was laughing so hard that I had to use it. :)


	19. Unwelcome Visitors?

I know. I know! It's been forever, and I didn't actually fall off the planet, like some of you might want me to right now. But school is trying to kill me. :( Seriously. And my muse vacated the premises for a little while in there. I'm so sorry guys. I'll try to do better, I promise! Like, I'm gonna start on the next chap as soon as I post this one, so the wait won't be nearly as long. :) Better? Maybe? (runs and hides as pitchforks start flying...)

* * *

Sakura knew she'd said both the right thing and the wrong thing, depending on whose eyes one was looking through. All of the warriors' and what she assumed to be priests' gazes were now focused on her, while her own was split equally between the strangers and the hanyou's back.

Kiiru--who couldn't seem to get his body to work anymore--was alternately tensing and relaxing, as if he was a cat preparing to pounce, his triangular ears flattening slightly. Hoping that the boy's expression betrays less than his body posture, Sakura also registers the fact that the two fairies are--strangely and confusedly--not actually visible to the village's inhabitants.

The small woman has slid from the miko's hands to her hakamas, and is hiding between one leg and the mare's side, while the man has moved from Kiiru's shoulder to hide underneath his hair. Both fairies are making obvious _shushing_ signs at the miko. Giving them the barest of nods, Sakura fixes a scowl onto her features, praying fervently that Kiiru will pick up on her plan and play along.

"He is my protector as well. We are journeying southward; in search of the...Izanagi Shrine," Sakura says, the word suddenly coming into her head, though she doesn't know why or how she knows the name of the Sun-God. The girl watches the men for a second to gauge their reactions, and continues on when she sees a few nod their heads in silent agreement.

"We ran into a little trouble yesterday with a..._nother_ demon, though," she says, leaving out what kind of youkai it was, fearing that the men would want to know just how Kiiru defeated the invisible creature. "Also, my mare spooked and reared during the encounter, and I didn't see a...snake's burrow a few days ago, so I'm quite useless at the moment," Sakura adds, lifting her hakamas so the men can see her ankle, and moving Kiiru's haori so that her injured arm is also visible.

Taking the increased mumbling between the warriors and the slight relaxation of their weapons as a positive sign, Sakura allows her gaze to slide back over to the hanyou, and hopes that what she's about to do doesn't betray the tiny amount of reassurance she's just instilled in the villagers, or the trust that she'd been slowly regaining with the hanyou.

"Kiiru."

The boy's shoulders tense for a quick second before he drops Kuri's reins as if he's been scalded, pivoting in place so quickly that his hair momentarily fans around him, walking up to the miko, his gait slightly awkward. Sakura fights the urge to bite her lip and places one hand on his shoulder, watching his expression as he raises his face to hers.

_I am in __**soo**__ much trouble_... she thinks, when the boy bares his fangs, his golden eyes so dark they're now deep amber in color, his countenance anything but calm and understanding as he glares at her with an emotion that must be just shy of hatred. The girl swallows the lump in her throat as Kiiru helps her off the mare, waiting until she's steady on her good leg before releasing her and dropping his gaze back to the ground, his hands clenched underneath his sleeves.

"_Trust me..._," Sakura hisses through her teeth, hearing a very low, gutteral growl in response. The girl addresses the men again, when she hears no other sound from her companion.

"We had not planned on the weather, er...this late in the season...," she says, holding her breath until she sees some of the men nod again, "...and were quite caught unawares last evening, as a result. Won't you please take pity on a couple of weary travelers?"

Sakura tries to still her racing heart as the men glance between her and Kiiru and themselves, several of them grouping together before giving hesitant nods to one another. More murmuring can be heard coming from behind the large, wooden door, and even the monks, or priests, or whatever they were, seemed to be considering the girl's request.

Finally, the man with the spiked ball on the end of a chain steps forward, whispering in the ax-man's ear and gesturing at the village with his other arm.

"Very well," the leader says, after giving the other man--apparently his second-in-command-- a roll of his blue eyes. "You may stay tonight, and tomorrow, if this storm develops," he says, nodding his head at the gray cloud cover. "But since we do not normally allow..._demons_ into our village, I must require that guards be stationed outside your hut."

The young miko hears another low growl coming from beside her, and quickly covers the increasing sound by answering the man.

"Agreed. Though he is no danger unless a threat is made against himself or me. Do you have a place for my horse, as well?" Sakura asks, trying to diffuse the slowly increasing tension between herself and Kiiru.

"Aye," another man, this time one with a spear, says. "We have several animals in an enclosure at the back of the fortress."

The girl nods, giving him a small smile to show her pleasure at this statement. After an awkward few seconds, the same man walks forward and retrieves Kuri's reins, then begins leading the small group toward the gigantic doorway. Sakura turns back to Kiiru, hesitating a second before lifting her good arm.

The hanyou releases a small, angry snort before lifting her into his arms and heading after the mare, his grip under her shoulders and knees several degrees tighter than it would normally have been.

**OoooOoooO**

"Are you going to ignore me for the rest of the day?"

Sakura sighs when the boy does exactly that, keeping his eyes averted from her face as he continues his trek back-and-forth across the small hut they had been given, his arms crossed over his chest.

The lodging had belonged to an elderly man who had died the previous winter, complications with his breathing, someone mentioned, while the pair waited to meet the village's head-man. The fortresses' leader, a man named Hige--who had searching, steel-blue eyes and a long, gray beard that came to his knees, despite the fact that he could have been Sakura's father--had been reluctant to let the pair share a hut until Sakura mentioned that Kiiru was fairly protective of her, and might take the separation as a threat.

Hige had considered her words, twirling his huge halbard that contained a blade that made up more than two-thirds of the total length a few times before agreeing to let them room together.

After searching the pair, Kuri, and their packs, that is.

The hanyou had not been pleased with the idea, offering the man a growl until a soft _shushing_ from Sakura essentially ordered him to be quiet. Hige had raised one grey brow, but did not comment, and the two were quickly looked over before being pronounced 'clean' and taken to their hut. The man with the axes--Gyutto, the village's Weapons-Master and all-around best fighter, with the exception of Hige--had a few of his men bring them some wood and start a fire, promising Sakura food and a visit from their healer in a few hours time, before he stationed two guards outside the door and left the pair to themselves.

The young miko brings her hand up and pinches the bridge of her nose, hoping that the headache that was coming on was only a result of their current argument. Or lack thereof, actually, since it had all been one-sided thus far. The girl hadn't felt good since before she and Kiiru had headed for the village, and their encounter with the armed men earlier in the day had left her feeling drained and tense. Also, the fairies had kept themselves hidden since they had entered the fortresses' walls, and didn't seem to have any intention of showing themselves anytime soon.

Knowing that the only reason the half-demon wasn't currently ranting at her was the presence of the pair of guards just outside their door, Sakura tries again to talk to the boy, hoping that he'll listen to her reasons.

"Did you at least see the...priests, Kiiru? They...they were about to curse you, or something. I assumed--rightly, by the way--that youkai aren't a welcome sight in this village, and just said the first thing that came into my head to protect you. Which they believed," she adds, dropping her voice to a low whisper, her face paling at her next thought. "You...you don't think I _really_..."

"_Servant_?" Kiiru all but hisses, coming to an abrupt halt in his pacing, but not turning to face the girl. He drops his arms to his sides, his fists clenched very tightly beneath his sleeves. "You couldn't come up with anything better than _servant_?"

Sakura sighs again, and shakes her head before remembering that the boy wasn't looking at her. She ignores the slightly dizzy feeling that washes over her.

"No," she says, her voice barely a whisper. "If I'd said you were my...uh, mate, or even just my traveling companion, I don't think these people would have been even half as..."

The girl breaks off quickly when she finds an angry half-demon almost nose-to-nose with her, one of his brows twitching above the eyes that were still darkened from anger. Kiiru pulls his lips back, revealing his fangs for a moment before he growls, his words so intense that Sakura can feel the vibration of his voice through the air between them.

"Listen here, Sakura. For reasons that neither of us can remember, I'm almost _painfully_ drawn to you, and I _know_ that you feel _something_ for me, as much as you may try to hide it. Therefore, though I might desperately wish otherwise right now, I can't deny the insane urge I have to both protect you and make you as happy as possible, which is why I'm not biting your head off after the little stunt you pulled a few hours ago."

Ignoring the flush on the girl's face, but forcing his voice to become softer because of the flash of alarm that he had seen enter her darkly-tinted eyes, Kiiru continues, leaning back on his heels so that the miko can have some breathing room.

"However, I _am_ not, nor will I _ever_ be, your _servant,_ despite what our relationship might have been or will be. I'll play along this _one_ time, but _do not ever_ try that again. I'd rather sleep in a bank of snow with the unknown trench-digger and chattering fairies than have to go through that humiliation again. I have more pride than that--despite being half demon--or haven't you noticed by now?"

Sakura swallows the lump that had risen in the back of her throat, dropping her gaze from the boy's as she feels a sudden heat begin to color her cheeks. The miko plays with the hem of one of her sleeves, trying to catch the breath that had gotten stuck behind the lump, her eyes filling with tears even as she tries to blink them away. She hadn't realized that Kiiru would take the..._lie_ that way.

"I...I'm sorry, Kiiru," Sakura says, forcing herself to whisper, though she isn't quite sure that the words aren't only in her head. "I...I didn't think...it would be a...a big deal. If...if _I_ was the one who..."

"I don't know why it bothers me so much," the hanyou says, his anger finally starting to ebb some at the obvious distress on Sakura's part, now that she knew how he really felt about the situation. Kiiru turns his head away when she looks up at him, though, not wanting to completely give up on his irritation just yet, and begin his time of serv..._acting_. "It's just...too close to...to..._something_."

Sakura tilts her head, frowning at the vagueness of the boy's sentence. "What do you mean?" she ventures, keeping her voice low, so that the hanyou can pretend he didn't hear her, if he decides not to answer. Kiiru stares blankly at the far wall for several moments before answering.

"Like I said, I don't know. It just feels like...agreeing to..._this_... It's like admitting to something that I've been trying to...fight...all my life, I guess." The half-demon frowns for a few seconds, ignoring the confused surprise on Sakura's face and turning to look at the mat hanging over the entrance to the hut. "Someone's coming this way. Just know that this little..._charade_ may not seem like much to you, but it makes me feel...worthless."

Sakura doesn't even have time to react to Kiiru's admittance before he's on the other side of the hut, standing against the wall with his arms by his side and his face toward the ground, as a soft knocking sounds from outside their hut.

"Miss Sakura?"

"Er...yes?" the miko manages to say, plastering blank curiosity onto her face as one of the guards sticks his head inside the door.

"The healer is here, Miss. Shall I let him in?"

The miko pushes down her sympathy and confusion where Kiiru was concerned--promising to make it up to him later--and nods at the man.

"Yes, Saka. Please send him in."

The guard nods at Sakura in return, switching his gaze quickly to the red-clad demon in the corner before he moves inside, holding his spear in one hand and the mat in the other as the gentleman behind him enters the hut.

The miko finds herself staring as what has to be the most _gorgeous_ man in the entire world walks up to her, smiling brightly, his dimpled cheeks winking at her beneath glittering violet eyes and a shock of midnight-black hair. The healer is dressed in a pair of beige hakamas and a dark purple haori that matches his eyes, the clothing unlike anything Sakura had seen the other villagers wearing.

All of the warriors the girl had seen so far had been wearing fitted black or dark-brown or -blue tunics, and breeches or skirts, if they were female, with leather footwear that came up past their ankles. In addition, everyone older than approximately 10 years of age also wore leather armor, even the women. This man, though he was part of the village, was obviously no fighter.

Sakura shakes herself out of her daze, forcing her mind to pay attention to what the man is saying--since his lips are now moving. She doesn't dare look at Kiiru, afraid that she would somehow find a way to make the situation worse than it already was. Though she isn't quite sure why she would have reason to think that.

"Young Miss?" the man says, kneeling beside Sakura and placing a plain, brown bag on the ground beside her. "I am Yokobue. Hige said that you had some injuries that you would like me to look at?"

The girl finds herself nodding, unable to speak for the heat staining her cheeks at hearing the man's lilting baritone. Yakobue flashes her another smile, reaching for the miko's injured shoulder before he suddenly finds himself dangling from the front of his robes.

"Wh...?"

"Don't touch her."

Sakura blinks, not quite sure that she was actually seeing Kiiru hold the healer in the air, several inches of space between his sandled feet and the wooden floor. She glances at the scowl on the hanyou's face, feeling a frown begin to pull on her own, wondering at the boy's behavior before Yokobue speaks the obvious answer.

"I was told he was protective. Guess I should have listened better," the healer says, laughing lightly into the tense atmosphere, apparently immune to the heated glare he's being given by the half-demon. "Could you tell him to put me down, please?"

The miko gives the dark-haired man a faint, embarrassed smile, before turning it on Kiiru and switching a scowl into place instead.

"Kiiru."

The hanyou doesn't move for several seconds, but eventually lowers Yokobue back to the ground, giving the man a soft growl and an irritated snort before he moves to Sakura's other side and plops down beside her, placing his hands inside the sleeves of his robe. He doesn't, however, take his golden eyes off the other man as the healer kneels beside the miko again.

"Who tended to you before you came here?" the man asks, choosing to ignore the angry demon that's still glaring at him, and instead work on freeing Sakura's arm from her sleeve without revealing anything else. "Did you visit another village?"

"Uh...no," Sakura says, wincing a little as Yokobue moves her injured arm and shoulder, then finding herself blushing at the fact that she has to keep her haori closed with her other hand. _Why didn't I ask for a kosode or some other type of undergarment for these? _she thinks, before remembering that her current clothes were _dress_ robes, and were only meant to be worn for special occasions. _Oh, yeah... Forgot about that..._ "We've been traveling for...several days. Kiiru's the one who wrapped my shoulder and ankle."

The miko doesn't realize she's said anything out-of-the-ordinary until she notices that the man's hands have stopped moving, and that he's now glancing back and forth between herself and the hanyou, a frown starting to pull on his full lips.

"He did?" Yokobue asks, finally settling his violet gaze on the hanyou, almost glaring at him.

For his part, Kiiru seems to be vaguely entertained by this display, and Sakura can tell that he's trying to keep the emotion from manifesting itself as a huge grin. Or a smirk, whichever might cause more amusement.

"Yes," Sakura says forcefully, drawing the healer's eyes back towards herself. "We haven't seen a village for days. Would you have let my foot simply dangle from my leg, or allow my arm to get worse, rather than allow my...man to tend to me? To touch me?"

An unpleasant scowl crosses the healer's face, marring his intense beauty for a moment. Before he can answer, though, a faint shout from outside makes all three turn toward the doorway. Sakura sees Kiiru's ears swivel back-and-forth a few times before the boy suddenly stands, walking to the opening with one hand on the hilt of his sword, a low growl floating behind him.

"Kiiru?"

The hanyou shakes his head, moving the matting aside and taking one step beyond it before a pair of spears blocks his path.

"Tell him to remain inside," Saka says, glancing past the half-demon before turning his light gaze back towards the open arena-like compound in the center of the fortresses' walls. The other guard--Hikui, slightly shorter and more broad than his fellow warrior--mumbles to himself before speaking aloud.

"It's the Kajimokin. Infuriating birds!"

Sakura glances at Yokobue, feeling her heart jump into her throat at the paleness of the healer's face, and the struggle the man was having with himself to remain calm. She unconsciously tightens her hands on her haori, looking back to Kiiru instinctively for the protective feeling she got whenever he was near.

Biting back a slight gasp of surprise when she sees him staring intently at her, Sakura finds herself speaking when the boy nods his head toward the doorway, silently indicating that he wanted the men to let him leave the hut.

"Let him past. He may be able to help."

Saka and Hikui slowly turn to the girl, frowning. The pair exchanges a worried glance, tightening their fingers on their weapons.

"We were told not to let him leave without either you, Gyutto, or Hige. It'll be our hides, Miss."

Sakura just keeps herself from rolling her eyes at the young guardsmen, and softly whispers Kiiru's name to get him to stop growling.

"Take him to the bottom of the steps, then," she says, meaning the ground below the elevated hut. "Yokobue and I aren't going anywhere. Surely you won't get in trouble for that?"

The two men exchange another silent glance, finally relenting after a moment's hesitation.

"Alright," Hikui says, his rough tone focused entirely on the half-demon. "Don't leave the bottom step and don't try anything."

Kiiru bares his fangs _just_ slightly at the two men, such a minuscule movement that the guards aren't even sure of what they actually saw before the hanyou pushes their weapons out of the way and starts down the stairs. Throwing a quick glance at the pair left inside the hut, Saka and Hikui follow him.

"What are the Kajimokin?"

Yokobue turns his gaze from the departed men back to the miko, giving her a forced smile before he returns to his task.

"A race of demon-birds. _Fire_-demon-birds."

* * *

Ok? We won't be spending as much time in this village as the last, and no, we aren't just going to go from village to village, guys. Where's the fun in that? (gives evil grin) Er... Major remembering party in the next chap. :) What else was I going to say? Why do I always forget what to put down here? Hrmm... Guess I'll just go work on the next chap then... Toodles!


	20. Fortress

Blarg. This chap was _soo_ hard to get through. I knew what I wanted to do, but I kept getting stuck and couldn't figure out how to get it to where I wanted. Finally got that fixed, though, and the chaps a little longer than normal, so i hope you guys likey. Er...what else? Oh, yes, there is some er...well, kind of remembering going on, but the duo is distracted, so they won't get a closer look at those memories until at least the next chap. Er...Oh. Can you guess where the memories came from? ;)

* * *

"Stay where you are!"

Kiiru--who had been about to leave the steps leading to his and Sakura's hut--tetters in place a moment before righting himself. He hears one of the guards jump to the frozen ground before stepping in front of him, giving him a glare. The hanyou releases an inaudible growl.

"You heard your Mistress; stay on the stairs," Saka says, shifting his eyes to Hikui before turning to face the open center of the village. Kiiru feels the shaft of the other guard's spear on his near shoulder, a silent admonishment to do as he was told.

The half-demon closes his eyes, allowing himself a moment of distraction and vowing to kill something the minute he and Sakura were free of this place. Releasing a breath and trying very hard to control his temper, Kiiru takes another look at the village's walls, which were now sporting blazing orange-red birds as adornments.

The demons--Kajimokin, Kiiru recalls--were probably a little taller than most of the men in the village, and had piercing, pale-yellow, almost white eyes, that they were using to stare down every person visible on the ground below. Each youkai's body feathers, wings, and tail look distinctly ruffled, but were lying more-or-less flat, making the demons look thin, almost frail. Their being on fire quite effectively negated that, however.

Kiiru finds his jaw slowly dropping as the birds simply perch on what was--to them, anyway--just a big fence, their forms engulfed in flame. The fires lick slowly around their bodies, moving up and down in a silent wind, though at their height, there was likely an actual breeze. Many of the demons--probably the males--have crests of longer feathers on their heads that trail down their backs.

"What do they want now?" Hikui mumbles angrily, his spear moving slightly on Kiiru's shoulder. The hanyou doesn't move his body, but shifts his eyes to count the demons, ending at roughly two dozen.

"Take a guess," Saka says, turning to give the other guard a 'You should have already figured this out' look. Hikui sucks in his breath, and Kiiru suddenly has the feeling that he and Sakura were being kept in the dark about something very important.

"Return her, vile humans! Return what you took from us!"

Kiiru has a cold feeling settle in his gut as he turns to discern where the almost screech-like voice had come. His golden eyes settle on a male sitting on one of two watchtowers, the men inside not currently visible as a large ball of flame was engulfing the demon on top, though--surprisingly--not burning the wood. The other villagers in the Fortress stare in wonder, horror, and anger, but nobody moves until Hige and Gyutto separate themselves from a group of men, step toward the center of the open space, and speak to the youkai.

"She belongs with us, Taiyohoshi! You know this! You had no right to..."

Hige's yell is cut off as the bird takes flight, launching himself into the air before dropping like a rock to the ground, dissolving the snow into a cloud of steam. The closest humans ready their weapons and quickly form a circle around the demon, who slowly rises to his feet. Kiiru holds back a gasp.

The demon was now in human-form, still retaining the yellow-white eyes, but almost everything else having changed from his true form. Taiyohoshi was wearing long, form-fitting, deeply-orange robes, like a sunset after a rain, and a cape just a shade darker than Sakura's eyes, which the hanyou mistakes for his hair until the demon turns his head and a high ponytail swings behind him. His skin seems almost pale compared to the snow surrounding him, and though the youkai has no weapons that Kiiru see, the fire burning behind his light eyes is enough to give the humans pause.

"I had every right, Hige," Taiyohoshi says, his anger evident, though his words remain even. "I will not let you take back what is mine! She will..."

"NO!" Gyutto says, his voice very high and his face flushed with desperation. The man tries to steady his shaking hands on his weapons, but it doesn't work nearly as well as he would have liked. "Izumi will remain with us! She is human! She does not belong with your kind!"

"And what does Izumi say, Gyutto?!" the demon says, his aura flaring around him so that a visible wave of heat pushes the warriors surrounding him back a few steps. "Your sister came to me of her own free will! Why do you keep her when you know she wishes to be with me?"

"You've put a spell on her, demon! That's the only explanation! Why else would she wish to live in the mountains with heathen..."

"That's enough, brother!"

Kiiru slowly turns his head to the new voice, his mind now swimming with the truth of the situation. A pretty girl a few years older than Sakura, with light hair and deep gray eyes, is standing in front of the hut beside theirs, several guards flanking her. Izumi moves forward to pass, is stopped by a guard attempting to block her path, pushes him forcefully out of her way with an almost audible growl, and proceeds to march toward her brother, her anger quite obvious. A few of the warriors trail after her, looking both miffed and slightly lost.

"I told you, Gyutto! But you wouldn't listen, as usual!" she says, coming to a stop in front of her older sibling and poking him in the chest. "Why can't you let me go? You know that Taiyohoshi loves me! He'll take care of me! He..."

The rest of the girl's words are cut off as Gyutto drops his axes and grabs Izumi's arms, shaking her slightly to silence her. A soft rumbling echoes around the Fortresses' walls from the Kajimokin, while Taiyohoshi narrows his gaze at the man, his aura flaming to life around him, starling several of the villagers into retreating even further. He doesn't, however, move from his position.

An almost silent conversation between Izumi, Gyutto, and Hige follows this, most of the humans not being within range, though Kiiru is sure that all of the bird-youkai can hear the exchange. The hanyou himself catches snippets of the conversation, most of them involving furious threats from the warrior, slightly calmer interpretations from the leader of the village, and pleading from the girl, which wavers between anger and desperation.

Kiiru stands in silence during this time, apprehension and fury warring with each other to keep him rooted in place, though every one of his instincts was telling him to leave as quickly as he can.

_Sakura was right... _he thinks, only half-grudgingly, feeling sudden constriction in his chest that the girl's lie was what had kept them safe so far. Kept _him_ safe. The boy turns to the hut behind him when he hears a quiet shuffling.

Yokobue is peering around the mat in the doorway, his violet eyes wide with fear as he sees the demons along the top of the wall. Kiiru drops his gaze to the girl he can see behind the man, their eyes about the same level since she was sitting down and he was standing on the stairs.

Sakura catches and holds his glance, giving him a sideways look, as if to ask 'What's going on?' The half-demon has a moment of confusion before he realizes that the miko isn't frightened like the healer; that the girl was only perpelexed and somewhat nervous. It takes him another few seconds and a well-timed memory flash to realize that _he_ was the reason that she wasn't afraid.

Kiiru sucks in a deep breath as a vague image overlays the current situation, and he sees the girl, her dark hair illuminted from behind by sunlight, while her face is shrouded in semi-darkness for the same reason. The look on her face changes momentarily, but only to add an element of determination. In that brief instant, the hanyou suddenly knows that Sakura trusts and depends on him--utterly, and without hesitation.

_When did that happen?_ the boy wonders, as the vision disappears, and he sees the girl now frowning at him, at his slightly startled expression. He gives her a small shake of his head as a commotion draws his attention back to the center of the compound. Kiiru almost falls over when he finds a pair of bright eyes staring into his.

Taiyohoshi narrows his gaze at the startled younger demon, flaring his nostrils momentarily and ignoring the humans that have formed around him and the boy. Kiiru shifts his gaze from the Kajimokin, a frown forming on his lips as he sees Saka sprawled on the ground--angry, though not injured--and Hikui's spear sliding away from his shoulder without moving entirely out of range. He looks back to the demon-bird, who stifles a grin when Kiiru ever so slightly bares his fangs.

"You are inu-hanyou," the youkai says, as if the boy hadn't already been privilege to this piece of information.

Kiiru raises one brow, and after a few seconds pause, nods to the other demon, his gaze sweeping the humans crowding around them again before returning to Taiyohoshi. He slowly lets his face relax into blankness, though the heat eminating from the demon-bird was making him uncomfortably warm, even considering the snow-laden compound they were both standing in.

The pair continues to stare at one another for long seconds, not moving, as the humans around them shift on their feet, wondering at this new development. Kiiru keeps silent, not understanding why this strange demon was interested in him.

"Do you...know him, Taiyohoshi?" Hige asks, coming to within a few meters of the pair and glancing back and forth between them. Kiiru doesn't need to look at the man to see the anger building on his face.

The Kajimokin doesn't turn to the leader of the village, but continues to stare at the hanyou for several more seconds, his pearl-colored irises taking in the seemingly-useless sword at his hip, the sharp claws, the triangular ears that were not facing him.

Taiyohoshi blinks, his curiosity building because Kiiru's full attention was not on him, but was directed to something behind the boy. He glances past the half-demon who is visibly losing his patience, his interest peaking when the boy starts growling. The warning was not aimed at him, but rather at the injured girl inside the hut, who had apparently ignored the village's almost hysterical healer and had gotten closer to the doorway.

"Kiiru?" she whispers--the word inaudible except to the two demons and Yokobue--her eyes wide as she stares at the youkai. Taiyohoshi can see the anxiety creeping into the dark orbs, and feels a genuine grin starting to cross his face at her concern for the young hanyou. This girl was different from the rest of the villagers. She reminded him of Izumi.

"Yours?" he asks, softly, while raising his chin slightly toward Sakura. The boy stops growling, giving the other demon a surprised look before nodding, his glance now wary. Taiyohoshi doesn't miss the slight movement that Kiiru's arm makes toward his sword.

"My lord?"

The Kajimokin glances toward the source of the voice, his light eyes softening at the young woman staring at him, her expression somewhere between nervous and confused as she glances between him and the half-demon. Taiyohoshi gives Izumi a sideways grin before speaking to Kiiru again, keeping his voice low and deep so that the humans do not hear.

"_Get out. Tonight."_

The demon doesn't wait for a response, but instantly turns back to the girl, her brother, and their leader, aiming his words mostly to the last.

"No, I do not. I was simply curious as to why there was a demon within your walls," he says, stepping away from Kiiru and allowing himself to be encircled once again by armed warriors. The fire-bird stifles a sigh. Humans could be so troublesome sometimes.

"His Mistress is injured," Hige says, looking quickly to the hut and missing the slight shock that crosses the Kajimokin's face. The leader of the village glances back to see Taiyohoshi staring at Kiiru again.

"Mistress?" the demon asks, narrowing his eyes at the boy once again. Kiiru returns the glare and stands up straight, daring the youkai to contradict the statement.

The fire-bird holds the hanyou's gaze for almost a minute, pondering the absurdity of the statement until the truth registers with the scents he had gotten off the boy.

_Ah... I see..._

"She must be an interesting woman, then," Taiyohoshi says, giving a small smirk to the half-demon before turning back to the humans. "I wish I had time to meet her personally, but I came here for a different reason. Are you or are you not going to return my mate to me, Hige?"

The leader of the Fortress gives the Kajimokin a shrewd glance, as if he's trying to read the demon's mind. He turns to his Weapon's Master, who shakes his head fervently, giving Taiyohoshi a sneer and an evil glare while he tightens his hands on the axes he had retrieved from the frozen ground. Hige then turns toward Izumi, seeing several of his villagers frowning at Taiyohoshi. He didn't need to focus on them for very long to determine their stance on this. When he finally focuses on the young woman being shielded by her brother, the leader can see the silent pleading behind her stormy eyes. They both knew there would be trouble if she wasn't returned to the bird-demon tribe. Hige stifles a weary sigh.

"I cannot force Izumi to return to you, Taiyohishi, but neither can I disregard her brother's wishes," he says, ignoring both of the males growling at him, and the gasp of the young woman. "I need time to discuss things with Gyutto, Izumi, and my elders."

"I have already waited a fortnight for you to return to your senses," Taiyohoshi says, his anger quite obvious by the flaring of his aura, which melts the snow surrounding him to several feet. "Izumi is mine by both my clan's rights and yours. If you do not return her today, I will not be responsible for my actions from this point onward."

"Is that a threat?" Hige snaps, raising his halberd slightly at the demon. The man sees several of his men follow his stance, readying their weapons to attack.

"It is what it must be," the youkai says, giving Izumi a sorrowful glance before he jumps into the air, transforming mid-leap and flying over the walls to the North, his fellow Kajimokin disappearing into the afternoon sun behind their leader.

**OoooOoooO**

Kiiru wakes with a sudden start, wondering when he had fallen asleep.

_Better question... What woke me up?_

The hanyou glances around the hut, frowning at the girl who lay a few feet in front of the position he'd taken along one wall. The boy had planned to watch over Sakura while she slept, he being edgy since the confrontation that afternoon, and not very tired as a result. Or so he thought.

Glancing down to his hands, the half-demon finds his fingers twitchy and tense, slowly recalling the dream--or series of dreams, actually--that he had been having moments before.

Kiiru had been running through a forest. Not in a hurry, or being chased as Sakura had been, but just for pleasure, apparently. A loud _whooshing_ sound just behind him made the boy turn, wondering where he'd heard that sound before.

The hanyou had found his eyes widening as he found himself on the fatal end of an arrow, fear rising in his chest as the weapon got closer and closer...

Then the dream suddenly changed and Kiiru not only found himself in danger, but also in extreme pain, as _something_ was now protruding from his stomach. Forcing himself to glance at his attacker, the boy does a double-take as he finds a pair of eyes identical to his own staring back at him.

Before he can get over his shock and focus on anything else, the half-demon blinks, now finding himself in a meadow, Sakura by his side. Kiiru feels his heart do a funny little flip-flop as she smiles at him, speaking softly, though the boy can't make out the words. He vaguely remembers asking her to repeat what she said, but the dream-Sakura had only laughed and taken his hand in hers...

Then, abruptly, the boy had found himself drawing his sword while yelling inappropriate language at something dark and disgusting that was floating overhead. Kiiru had turned when he heard another's man's voice, followed by a woman's, a child's, and Sakura's, shouting at him, though he couldn't understand what it was that they were saying. He had seen vague outlines of what was likely the same pair from Sakura's vision, along with something small that was clinging to the miko's leg.

That image, too, had only stuck around long enough to provide the boy with an enormous amount of confusion, before being replaced by Sakura disappearing into darkness, while he watched in slight annoyance. Kiiru thought he should have been upset or angered by their actions, but was only served more confusion as a deep welling of sadness struck him harder than he thought he should ever feel...

This last dream image was what had woken the hanyou from his slumber, and sent his hands to shaking almost uncontrollably. He knew that Sakura had been fine in the last--for lack of a better word, scene--but it was the one that caused him the most inner turmoil.

_Why did I feel like I might never see her again?_ the boy asks himself, glancing over to the girl in question and only now noticing her silent movements. Kiiru frowns, getting to his feet and stepping quickly to the young woman, seeing a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead and her expression contorted in fear and, possibly, pain, as she thrashes her head from side to side.

"Sakura? Sakura; wake up," the boy says, gently shaking her shoulders.

The boy feels panic setting in when Sakura starts to fight him, mumbling incoherent syllables under her breath, interspersed with sobs. A stab of fear slices through him when tears start trickling down the girl's cheeks, and he grabs Sakura's upper arms, forcing her to sit up while he shakes her with more force.

"Sakura! Wake up, woman! Wake up!"

The hanyou feels a chill run down his spine when the girl simultaneously snaps open her eyes, yelling out a muffled name as the wide, dark irises focus on his alarmed face.

**OoooOoooO**

Kiiru wasn't the only one who had been having dreams.

Sakura had been having the same sort of fragmented, scattered visions that her half-demon companion had, except that hers had ended up scaring her much more than Kiiru's had.

In the first of her dreams--the only one that wasn't frightening--the girl had been sitting at a table, surrounded by people she didn't know, not that she was surprised. A woman, an older man, and a small boy were discussing things that Sakura couldn't hear, but they would look to her and ask her opinion every once in awhile. The girl had wondered if perhaps this was her family, as she was certain that she bore some resemblance to them, but the interruption of a certain half-demon into the picture had made her wonderings disappear, as her vision shifted.

The second dream had her staring at an immobile, seemingly lifeless Kiiru as he drifted away from her, into darkness. The girl's heart had lodged in her throat, and she had tried calling out to him, but the boy had only stared at her with blank eyes before disappearing completely, leaving Sakura feeling lost and hopeless...

This vision had quickly progressed to another, slightly less frightening one, where she was hanging from something, watching the boy as he landed on the ground, apparently having just jumped from a tree or some other high object. The hanyou had a large bloodstain on his clothes, but the girl had only felt relief at seeing him, and had immediately run toward the boy, intent on hugging him to death...

Unfortunately, her dream had changed to include the man and woman she had seen before, and also two demons, though she couldn't make out any of their features, other than they were of small size. This little snippet of remembrance had dropped the girl to the ground, as she was now feeling an immense amount of pain, nausea, and fear. She hadn't seen the hanyou in this dream, but knew he was there, somewhere, just outside her range of vision. She had tried to call for him but was afraid that he couldn't hear her, or didn't know that she needed him...

The last dream had two similar parts, that occurred in sequence, with probably only minutes between them. The first had Sakura, one of the small demons, and a few others that she didn't recognize standing beside a burning ravine, with rocks and plant debris raining down on them as they tried to shelter against the side of the mountain. The girl was holding Kiiru's robe, and feeling intense fear that whatever had destroyed the chasm had also taken the hanyou away from her. She had tried to call for him, but couldn't get her voice to work properly, and so had taken off along the ravine to look for him.

The second part of the dream had one of the demons talking to her, though she wasn't really listening, not that she could understand anything he said, anyway. There were tears threatening in her eyes, and she could feel the beginnings of a sob in the back of her throat, though she was trying to hold them both at bay.

When she was about to give the hanyou up for good--feeling her heart breaking in the process--she had heard the boy's voice rumbling a few feet away, apparently a threat aimed at the youkai beside her.

The girl hadn't thought about what she was doing, simply throwing herself at him as tears rolled down her cheeks, as a name unknowingly slipped from her lips.

"Inuyasha!"

**OoooOoooO**

The pair stares at one another in silent astonishment for a few seconds before Sakura throws her arms around Kiiru's neck, hugging him tightly to her as the boy tries to process what she'd just yelled.

_Inu...yasha?_

The hanyou blinks a few times in confusion and slight apprehension before wrapping his arms around the girl, as she continues to cry quietly against him. He doesn't recognize the name, exactly, but it feels right to him, on some level.

_Is that...my name?_

The pairs' quiet moment is rudely interrupted as Yokobue abruptly appears in the doorway, glaring at the two with something between hatred and triumph.

"What's going on here?" he asks, in a tone that says that he already knows, and that he's going to do something about it.

Sakura and Kiiru turn to the doctor in slight surprise, blinking confusedly at his intrusion before it dawns on them what position he's just caught them in.

"Doctor...," Sakura starts, her voice shaky because of her emotions, her mind trying to quickly think of an excuse for the situation Yokobue had walked in on. Why was he here in the middle of the night, anyway? "...I had...a nightmare. Kiiru was just..." She stops when the healer cuts her off.

"I knew there was more here than you two were letting on," he says, flashing the hanyou a cocky grin before shifting it to Sakura, where it turns slightly lewd. "No respectable woman travels with only a demon for a companion. Especially a male one. It's..._improper_." The doctor looks back to the boy with a sneer as Kiiru starts growling, though his violet eyes are glinting--and not in a good way. "If you leave now, the guards will let you go without incident. The woman will stay here. I will take her to the Shrine when she has healed, then return to her village and ask her father's permission for her hand."

"Excuse me?" Sakura blurts, her tone betraying indignation and anger. She reluctantly lets go of the half-demon as he stands, shielding her from the other male. "What right have you to suggest something so...so... ridiculous? _I'm_ not going to go with you anywhere, and I am _certainly_ not going to marry you_."_

"Oh, yes you are," Yokobue replies, his dark eyes flickering back to the girl for a moment. "If you want your..._servant_...here to live, you will."

Sakura gasps, partly at the audacity of the healer, but mostly at the fact that Kiiru now has him up against the wall, holding the man by his neck. Yokobue just grins.

Before she can blink, at least six men are surrounding the hanyou, pointing spears at the boy's back.

"Shall we do this the hard way, then?" the doctor asks, looking fairly confident even though his face was slowly turning a dark red. The villagers behind the half-demon press in closer, actually pushing the tips of their weapons against Kiiru's robe, so that Sakura can see the indentations from them by the light of the glowing embers in the center of the hut.

Kiiru doesn't seem to be fazed in the least.

The girl finds her eyes widening when he glances over his shoulder at her, essentially ignoring the men surrounding him. He looks quickly towards the door, then raises his brows. Sakura doesn't need to hear his question to read it loud and clear.

"_Let's go,"_ she mouths, seeing a spark of mischief in the hanyou's golden eyes as he smirks at her.

Within a minute, Kiiru has all the men unconscious on the floor, and is moving to gather their bags from one of the corners.

"Not even a challenge," he mumbles, dusting off his hands, though Sakura hasn't the faintest idea why. Only a few rips in his red robe show that the men had tried to either defend themselves or attack.

"How are we gonna get out without being seen?" Sakura asks, pushing the reminder of her dream to the back of her mind. They had more important things to worry about at the moment.

"Don't know. We have to get Kuri, too. I don't think this village harms their animals, but they might take their spite out on her once they find out we're gone," he answers, turning to the girl when she gasps. "Don't worry, Sakura. I have a feeling that we'll be getting a diversion soon."

"What makes you say that?" she asks, raising a wary brow at the boy as he walks back over to her, lifting the girl into his arms.

"The Kajimokin."

Sakura frowns at the boy as he moves to one of the windows, sliding out carefully while making sure he's got a good hold on her. Kiiru had told the young woman about Taiyohoshi and what he had heard between the demon and the others that afternoon, but he hadn't mentioned what the fire-bird had whispered to him, as the boy wasn't positive of it himself, and he didn't want to scare the miko. Now, though, he hopes that the youkai will prove his warning wasn't a bluff.

The pair remains silent as Kiiru quietly jumps to the roof, seeing a pair of guards standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking restless. He exchanges a glance with Sakura, both of them sensing that the twosome would be entering the hut within a few minutes, and then alert the rest of the compund to their disappearance and the unconscious men.

Before the boy can jump to the next rooftop, though, a loud, resounding, very bright explosion rocks the Fortress, knocking a section of one of the walls down, and sending the whole village into panic.

Kiiru grins to himself as the girl he was carrying gasps again, tightening her good arm around his neck as he begins sprinting across the rooftops, heading for the back of the compound and the stable area where their mare was being housed. No one notices them as several of the buildings catch fire, courtesy of the fire-demons circling around and inside the wall, while the able villagers take up their weapons and begin to return attacks on the youkai. Sakura buries her face against the boy's haori as what looks like blue lightening leaves a group of cloaked villagers, striking down one of the Kajimokin.

"Don't know if I would've suvived that," Kiiru mumbles, conversationally, as they land on the ground inside the stable area. He ignores Sakura's wide-eyed stare as something else catches his eye.

"Mount quickly. They are waiting for me, and will not provide a diversion for much longer," Izumi says, giving the pair a sad smile as she appears from the shadows, pushing open one of the gates before pulling herself onto a dappled mare, situating a few small bags along her back. "Good luck to you."

With that, the young woman gallops into the semi-darkness, her shadow illuminated by the light from the many fires that were slowly burning the village to the ground, while it's inhabitants try to battle their demon attackers and put out the flames.

Sakura and Kiiru exchange a barely astonished glance before the boy moves to their roan, speaking softly to her as the mare was fidgeting badly from all the commotion going on around them. After several tense moments, the pair finally gets the horse calmed down enough to mount her, leaving the gate open to add to the confusion, and also provide an escape route for the animals if the flames should happen to spread this far from the actual fighting.

The hanyou urges Kuri into a quick trot, which doesn't take any more encouragement than a soft clicking of his tongue, and the trio takes off into the center of the compound, their presence being completely ignored as the make their way between the buildings toward the gaping hole in the Fortresses' outer wall.

Within a few minutes, the small group passes through the barrier, staying well away from the flames licking against each side, and disappears into night, the stark whiteness of a new snowfall having been unnoticed until now because of the activity and the heat coming from the village that was receeding behind them.

Kiiru and Sakura stop at the entrance to the forest they had emerged from that very morning, turning to look at the scene that was lighting the night sky, individual fires circling above the burning structure in a regular pattern.

After a few moments they continue on, not looking back.

* * *

A fortnight is two weeks, btw, if you didn't know. I think that's all. How was it? :P


	21. The Second Snow

Gah. The website was acting screwy. Had this done before the weekend and couldn't do a thing about it. Anyways, sorry it's taken so long guys. I am still here, I promise. Just...you know. Life getting in the way. So, here's the next chap, and I'm gonna start #22 tomorrow, and hopefully get it up faster than this one. (Not that that will be hard to do...) Not a lot of remembering here, but there will definitely be some coming up, and the memories should start to snowball, if I can get things to work the way I want them. OK, that's enough of my rambling. ;)

* * *

The young woman shivers, tightening her hold on the boy in front of her, trying to steal as much warmth as possible. She rests her burning cheek against his back, ignoring the low rumble that says that he's talking to her, choosing to close her eyes instead.

"Sakura?"

When the girl refuses to answer a second time, the hanyou turns, frowning at the top of the her head. He can almost see the steam rising from her in soft tendrils.

_Damn it... She's gotten worse. Not that I'm surprised..._

Kiiru--because he and Sakura had yet to discuss anything that had happened at the Fortress, and therefore wasn't comfortable with referring to himself by another name--utters another low growl, and begins scanning the snow-covered land for some place to stop. The two fairies perched on his shoulders glance briefly at the girl before taking off in a flurry of sparkles and snowflakes and misgivings, disappearing into the whiteness, searching for the same.

The small group had been traveling all night, and were now quickly succumbing to the fatigue from their experiences the previous day. Sakura moreso than the others, though they were still having trouble keeping their thoughts focused on the task at hand. Which was primarily just staying warm, as there wasn't much else to do.

It had snowed again during the night, as was the prediction, and the white flakes had come down hard. Kuri had done well for a few hours on her own, but finally reached her limit when the freezing wetness began pushing against her belly. She refused to go any farther until Kiiru dismounted--with an irritated sigh--and took the reins, breaking through the piling drifts as he led the mare along the edge of the forest.

The hanyou had just recently returned to Sakura, when the fatigue seemed about to take over and remove her unwillingly from Kuri's back. The snow wasn't as deep here, though it was still coming down in droves, and the group needed to stop to rest and eat, for a few hours at least. Also, Kiiru was positive he could hear the breaking of ocean waves in the distance, though it would probably be another half a day before they would reach it.

"Anything?" the boy asks, when the two fairies return, trying to keep the hope out of his voice. It wasn't likely that they would find shelter out here in the middle of nowhere, especially since they couldn't see more than five feet in any direction.

The hanyou gets a shock when the female nods feverently at him, waving one tiny hand, beckoning him to follow. Kiiru exchanges a slightly astonished glance with the small male, before they both shrug and the larger of the two pulls on their mount's reins so that she angles inland.

The tired group continues on for a little less than a kilo, Kiiru growing more and more irritated that they had left the mild shelter the trees had offered, which was being seconded by the fidgeting mare beneath him. It was bad enough having to walk through the cold and damp, without having the biting wind against your back.

"How much farther?" the boy finally asks, almost angrily. He pauses a moment to dismount and take the lead from the protesting roan, stopping again to shrug off his haori a few seconds later, when Sakura's shivering becomes noticeable. He bites his tongue against the chill seeping into his bones.

The winged woman shakes off several snowflakes that had collected on her head and shoulders, pursing her lips as she glances in a Northwesterly direction. After a few seconds, she holds up 5 tiny fingers.

"Five minutes?" Kiiru confirms, releasing a breathy sigh as the woman nods, a forced smile on her face as she looks past him. The half-demon glances at the obviously ill miko behind him, his relief vanishing when Sakura coughs, the sound rattling up from somewhere low in her chest.

The boy curses silently to himself, immediately turning and plowing through the drifts, following the glittering wings in front of him. He ignores Kuri's attempt to return to the forest running parallel to their direction, snapping her reins and forcing her to face forward. The mare snorts almost indignantly, nipping at the boy's hakamas a few times, until she realizes that he's not paying any attention to her. She quickly forgets this, however, when a small wooden dwelling comes into view through the swirling mists.

The building is little more than a run-down shack, with a lean-to and a broken fence on one side, presumably for an animal that had long since vacated the residence. The thatched roof of the dwelling has half-collapsed inward, and there is a question as to whether or not the aged wood of the building itself can survive even one more night in the current weather. But a sparse copse of pines is blocking the worst of the wind on one side, and also providing a break for the snowfall, while a small pile of logs beneath the overhang promises dry warmth, if only someone were to set them burning. There's no sign of any inhabitants.

Kiiru visibly relaxes as the group reaches the dwelling, shaking off the worst of the cold as they step under the extended roof, stamping his feet on packed mud to warm his toes. He takes a few seconds to look around, smiling grimly at the wood, wondering if he knew how to make a fire.

The sound of quiet chewing reaches his ears a moment later, and the hanyou turns to find the roan nibbling on bits of new grass that were hiding beneath the snow at the edge of the roof, which had been sprouting before the storm had hit. He offers the animal a smirk and a small pat when he sees that Kuri was still staying safely beneath the confines of the overhang, however.

Frowning to himself, the boy wonders how he is going to provide a measure of warmth for the animal, when a glittering in the corner of his eyes catches his attention. The two fairies were waving their small arms, hovering next to a tall, brownish stack of items. Kiiru walks over to them, grimly smiling again before toppling the pile of worn potato sacks, arranging them on the ground close to the wall of the shack. There was little worry that the mare would wander off in this weather, but these sacks would help to sustain her own body heat without the aid of her two passengers.

Now that Kuri is taken care of, the hanyou turns his attention to the girl still seated on the horse's back, biting down on the urge to growl. Sakura was pale and shivering, and the racking cough she'd developed seemed to have gotten infinitely worse since their exposure to the biting wind, though they'd been in it less than half an hour. Kiiru needed to get the young miko inside and warm her as quickly as possible.

The boy glances briefly at the two tiny people who were rummaging in his pack, frowning at them in confusion but mostly ignoring the pair as he lifts the girl into his arms, unable to help his chill as he feels how warm she is.

_A fever... Definitely not good..._

The boy cuts off further disparaging comments to himself as he steps around the corner of the shack and takes the full force of the freezing wind in his face, instantly setting his teeth to chattering. He quickly turns to shield Sakura from the worst of it, hurrying along this side of the dwelling to the door, pushing it open with his foot.

Once inside Kiiru closes the door and glances around, uttering a slight grunt of annoyance that there's not anything more helpful than small piles of dried pine needles, a broken stool, and a few leftover potatoes that decided to start their own tribe in one of the corners. The boy takes a step forward and cringes at the creaking of the boards beneath his feet.

_Won't do us any good if we get buried under it..._

Kiiru walks several more steps into the single-room building, keeping Sakura in his arms while he checks the corner and crossbeams for stability, in case they had to leave in a hurry. Deciding that they'll survive unless one of the pines actually falls on the house, the boy makes a mental note to check the supports of the overhang when he goes back out for the wood, and sets the girl down near the firepit.

"I'll be right back, Sakura," he says, setting their bags and her bow and quiver beside the girl and pulling his haori over her head, so that as much of her was covered by the material as was possible.

The young miko mumbles something that Kiiru doesn't catch, before she clutches the robe around her, so that only a small portion of her face is still visible.

"Stay with her," Kiiru says to the winged pair now digging in Sakura's pack. The boy gets two vaguely waving arms and no faces for his answer, to which he scowls before leaving the room again, vowing to carry enough logs back in so that he doesn't have to go back outside a second time.

Kuri has progressed from the back of the shack to the side, leaving a trail of grass hair about a foot across in her wake. She flicks an ear at Kiiru when he begins stacking logs on his arms, but otherwise doesn't respond to his presence.

"You'll be alright; right?" the boy asks as he checks the roof's supports, deciding that he was definitely getting tired, if he was asking for their horse's opinion. He shakes his head, giving the mare another pat on the rump before heading back inside, piling the extra logs along the inside of the door and taking only a few to the firepit to begin with.

_Now what do I do?_

Kiiru glances at the girl beside him, reaching a hand over and moving the collar of his haori so that he can feel her forehead. Sakura leans into his cool fingers when they brush against her brow, but keeps her eyes closed, swaying slightly even though she was sitting down.

_Maybe she can start the fire..._the boy thinks, scowling at the heat against his hand and the fact that he couldn't for the life of him remember anything about igniting a flame. And also that he hadn't paid much attention when Sakura had started their previous fires. It just seemed the kind of thing that she did, really.

Kiiru feels his face warming when the girl suddenly reaches up and grasps his hand, moving it to first one cheek, then the other, a small smile on her lips.

_Wrong kind of flame..._ he thinks, slowly removing his hand and fighting a smirk when the girl opens her eyes, her bottom lip pushed out slightly.

"Fire first, then medicine, then food. You're burning up," he says, when Sakura looks at him blankly.

A _clicking_ in the pit catches both of their attentions, and the pair glances toward the sound, staring in silence at the fairies, who are struggling to smash two rocks together.

"What are you doing?" Kiiru asks, lifting the small male with his cargo and prying the latter away from the former. He squints sideways at the sharpened rock, ignoring the irritated, explanatory tone and gestures the fairy was flinging towards him. "Flint?" he asks, glancing down at the female, who was holding the larger rock at an angle to a tiny pile of pine needles they'd gathered, and looking distinctly embarrassed.

"And steel," Sakura says, roughly, and not completely coherently, while making a strange waving motion with her hands. She quickly withdraws them back under Kiiru's haori, shivering again.

"Where did they come from?" Kiiru asks, some vague recollection finally coming back to him that he had done this before, although only rarely. There always seemed to be some easier way; something that involved a tiny, wooden stick and a squarish piece of paper. The boy shakes his head to dispel the confusion, then takes the rock from the female fairy and strikes the two against each other. "And don't do that again; you could have set yourselves on fire," he says, sending a small growl to his audience.

The small man and woman scoff at the hanyou, rolling their eyes before they point at Sakura's pack, then rise into the air. Kiiru blinks at the woman as she gathers more needles, the man disappearing outside through a crack in one window's covering. The hanyou turns back to his task, making a few unsuccessful tries before he gets any sparks, then several more before the pile of needles begins to smoke.

The female fairy immediately begins fanning the spark with her wings, now looking almost bored. She stifles a yawn, watching silently as Kiiru adds more needles, breaking into a grin when the flame finally catches and the tiny fire is born.

The male fairy had returned sometime inbetween the frustrated curses, and was turning half of a potato sack into brown strips. He throws a few onto the fire, his grin reflecting oddly in the orange light.

"Anyone else think he's enjoying that too much?" Kiiru asks, to no one in particular. "You have something against potatoes?"

He smirks as small male glares at him, throwing one of the strips at the boy's head. The two girls giggle, which instantly sends Sakura into a coughing fit.

"Time for your medicine," Kiiru says, gruffly, pulling the girl's pack over to him. He sets some packages of food off to the side before finding the scroll containing the instructions on Habigaku's remedies.

The boy had only been paying partial attention when the herbalist had explained what each one was for, and therefore didn't know what most of them did. He scans down the small, neat writing, searching for herb that would work for Sakura's cold, mentally noting to read about the rest before he or the girl would require the use of one of them in an emergency. They'd been lucky with that so far.

The winged man and woman watch him curiously as he searches the girl's bag for the pouch containing the dried and crushed flowers, tilting their heads as he grins at the item.

"It smells better than the last one," he says, referring to the leaves he'd used on Sakura's ankle. The boy then removes a small pottery bowl from the miko's pack with a sigh. He would have to go back outside.

A few minutes later Kiiru returns, shaking the flakes off of his head with a grunt and grabbing a couple more logs to throw on the growing fire. He then adds the snow-filled bowl, waiting until the liquid is bubbling quietly before throwing a few pinches of the herb in. The soothing scent almost instantly fills the space, and Sakura moans softly.

"That smells lovely," she mumbles, shifting closer to the bowl, so that she's almost right in the pit itself.

Kiiru snatches the girl as she pauses to cough, just before his haori catches fire. Or would have, if it could have caught. He turns the miko toward him, shaking her slightly, forgetting her cold in light of the fact that she'd almost hurt herself _again_.

"Sakura! What the hell are you doing?! You almost went right into the fire, idiot!" he yells, hugging the girl to his chest and ignoring her muffled attempts at an apology, not completely sure that she even knew what she was apologizing _for_. He doesn't explain that she probably would have been alright, since she was wearing his robe, because the girl might not always have that protection. "What were you thinking?"

He pushes the girl back, moving his haori off her head so that he can see her face. Sakura's cheeks are red, but Kiiru doesn't know if that's from the fever or embarrassment.

"S...sorry," she mumbles, shivering again. The boy isn't sure if she's simply cold or if what she had almost done had finally penetrated through her sick-induced haze. "I...forgot that the fire was there, I guess. It smells so nice," she says, glancing back at the bowl, her dark eyes glazed.

Kiiru stares at the miko for several seconds, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that the girl's better sense had been overruled by a flowery smell. He had the distinct feeling that things like this happened more often than he liked.

"Sakura," he says, pulling the girl around so that she's facing him again. "I want you focus on resting and staying warm and getting well, ok? Just stay put and I'll bring you anything you need. I don't want you to get hurt again."

The girl blinks at him several times before nodding, a slight frown on her brow at Kiiru's serious, almost pleading, expression. The hanyou was obviously upset, and she didn't like that she was the reason. All she really wanted was for him to be happy, and he definitely wasn't.

_Wait...where had that come from?_ the girl thinks, watching the boy as he removes the bowl from the fire to cool. He sits back down beside her, checking her temperature again.

"Too warm...," he mumbles, moving away to retrieve the instruction scroll again, scanning down the list. Sakura watches him silently for a few seconds before sliding next to him and putting her good arm through one of his.

"Thanks... for watching over me," she says, smiling up at the boy before snuggling against his side.

Kiiru blinks at the girl, giving a half-hearted shrug as his face warms, before turning back to the herb list. "'S no problem," he mumbles, frowning at the paper in his hands, not really looking at it anymore. He feels the girl shiver against him, hesitating a moment longer before putting an arm around her. He tries not to smirk when Sakura makes a contented sigh, but doesn't succeed very well.

His grin falls a second later when he hears the snickering.

The boy glares at the two on the other side of the fire, who were grinning innocently. "She's cold. I'm just helping her stay warm," he says, scowling at the serious--and completely unbelievable--smiles being aimed at him. He bares his fangs when the laughing starts again. "Oi! Shut up!"

The pair breaks down into fits at the fact that Kiiru can't move without upsetting the girl, laughing even harder when he begins growling at them. They finally settle down when Sakura coughs again, and Kiiru decides that the tea is cool enough, lifting the bowl to her lips, speaking softly to wake her from her semi-daze.

"You need to drink this before you sleep, Sakura. It will make you feel better."

The girl opens her eyes, inhaling the tea slowly, a smile breaking across her face. "It smells lovely," she says again, taking small sips from the bowl. She manages to drink the entire amount without coughing, and also without moving an inch from Kiiru's side. "Time to sleep now?" she asks with a yawn, when he places the bowl back on the wooden floor.

"Yes, time to sleep, if you're not hungry. You'd be more comfortable lying down, though," the boy answers, making a small, reluctant attempt to remove the girl attached to him. He gives up when Sakura tightens her hold, shaking her head.

"Not...hungry... ...lovely...sleep...," she murmurs, falling completely under a minute later, a small smile lighting her pale face.

Kiiru rolls his eyes, shaking his head at the girl beside him, but secretly pleased that he didn't have to let go of her just yet. He would wait half an hour, then retrieve his other haori and lay her down. She didn't need to wake up with a stiff neck on top of her cold, arm, ribs, and ankle.

The boy blows a heavy sigh, ruffling his bangs, before picking up the scroll again. He studiously ignores the pair staring at him and the girl, whispering quietly behind their tiny hands, and scans down the list, searching for something stronger if the tea Sakura had taken didn't work. They could stay here for a few days, or until the storm passed, but they couldn't make any sort of time if her cold didn't subside. Or worsened.

_It won't happen. She'll be fine in the morning..._

Kiiru glances down at the girl, willing away the less than encouraging thoughts. Sakura's cold might...no, _would_ go away in a few days, at the most, but what about her arm? Or her ankle? The insane doctor at the Fortress had confirmed that it was broken--not that there was any doubt--but it definitely wouldn't be healing anytime soon.

But did they really have anywhere to go? Couldn't they stay here as long they needed to?

The hanyou frowns, willing himself to remember..._anything_. He and Sakura knew that they didn't belong here, but where exactly did they belong? And how soon did they need to get back?

The boy gives up after several fruitless minutes, scowling at the paper in his hand. He kept feeling as if he and the girl needed to be somewhere, but he couldn't figure out anything more. The most they could do was keep moving South, as quickly as possible, and hope that they'd keep remembering things.

Kiiru releases an annoyed snort as he returns to scanning the list, reading over each item slowly, so that he could remember the herbs and their uses, if for some reason he didn't have access to the list. He runs through everything twice, frowning when he reaches the end for the second time. Something was missing.

Or _somethings_. Kiiru doesn't see the two special vials that Habigaku had given each of them, though it was unlikely they would forget their uses. Was that why the herbalist hadn't included them on the list?

The half-demon's frown deepens as he thinks about the two concoctions. If they could really do what Habigaku said, it was more likely that the villager hadn't wanted anyone else to know about the potions. Leaving them off the list and placing them in the invisible pouches inside their packs meant that only Sakura and Kiiru knew about them. Had that been the herbalist's idea, or Grandmother's?

The hanyou debates for a minute before deciding on the latter, as this was definitely not the first proviso that the witch had made for them. Kiiru and Sakura owed her more than they could ever repay.

The boy releases a resigned sigh as he glances down at the girl, eyeing each of her injuries, wondering. One of the two special potions could heal any wound, no matter how bad. Could it possibly work on more than one, if none of them were too serious?

Sakura mumbles in her sleep, pressing her face closer into the boy's kosode. Kiiru smiles at her peaceful, slightly pleased expression, wondering what she was dreaming about. He had thought briefly about lying down himself, but he was mostly just tired. Simply sitting and watching over the girl would be enough rest for him.

Sighing again, the hanyou decides that it was time to separate himself and Sakura. She would be more comfortable, and he could tend the fire, make something to soothe his growling stomach, and check on Kuri without disturbing her too much.

The boy has just laid the girl on her side and is moving to retrieve his other haori when they hear it. Sakura bolts upright, as do the fairies, and the foursome hears Kuri scramble to her feet, whinnying in panic.

"What's going on?" the girl almost screams, her eyes instantly finding the half-demon in the dim light.

"Stay here!" he says, bolting from the shack and yelling over his shoulder at the now-hovering pair. "Watch her!"

The male fairy ignores the command, choosing to stay right on Kiiru's heels as he heads around the side of the building to check on the mare. The female fairy heads for the door, but stops at the threshhold, squinting through the snow to see what had caused the bone-chilling sound. The tiny hairs on her head rise when they hear it again, closer this time.

Kiiru has just reached the roan when the sound comes again. He manages to grab Kuri's reins before she rears, holding the horse steady as she tries to pull away. He takes a few seconds to calm her, but doesn't hold much faith that she won't bolt if the sound should come again. He can understand why.

"Stay with her if she runs," he says to the male fairy, who doesn't seem to like this assignment, and frowns at the hanyou. "Don't try to stop her; that's a warning sound for them. Just try to calm her down and bring her back. We can't afford to lose her, and I don't want her dying in this storm or if some demon should get to her."

The tiny man stares after Kiiru as he pivots on his heel and disappears into the whiteness, not waiting for a response. He shivers when the sound comes a third time, somehow managing to keep the mare from leaving the vicinity of the house completely, but just barely. Kuri fidgets on the far side of the house, kicking up drifts of snow with her hooves, puffs appearing before her flared nostrils each time she breathes. The fairy knew that there was no way he could keep her from leaving after this. He just hoped he could hold on or keep up if she ran. Fairies didn't do so well when their wings got wet.

Kiiru races over the snow drifts, hardly feeling the cold on his bare feet. The crazed tone sounds again, almost directly in front of him, and the boy slows, straining his eyes to see. After a few seconds a small, darkish blob appears through the wall of white, and the boy takes a step back, confused and fairly alarmed.

What he had expected to see was not what was now pelting toward him as fast as it's legs could carry it. The 'warning' should have been coming from a screaming horse, and this was anything but.

It was about the size of a cat, but definitely wasn't. The creature had red-blond hair that stood out from it's body in short, spiky tufts, and each of it's ears was at least twice the size of it's head. A long tail made mostly of hair stuck straight out behind it, while a sort of gold shimmer seemed to flow along it's body as it ran.

It was the huge, violet-colored eyes that gave it away, though. They were wide with genuine fear, and the now softer cry the creature releases a second later confirms the fact that it had been the one making the awful noise. Whatever it was, it wasn't a threat.

The three howling shapes that follow it out of the whiteness, however, are.

**OoooOoooO**

"Are you sure there's nothing else we can do?"

The shrine maiden shakes her head, her light hair swinging back and forth over her dark robes.

"No. Even if this young one...," the woman gestures to the kitsune at the monk's feet, "...remembered something more, I do not believe so. They are out of our range and our skills. Only with luck on our side have we done any good with the spell. Your friends must rely on their own powers to get them back."

"But why can't we go look for them? Surely there's no harm in that?"

"And where would you begin, tajiya?" the priestess asks, giving Sango a leveling glance with her steel-blue gaze. "At the sea? Here, at the great mountain?" she asks, waving an arm to the towering peak behind her. "Perhaps they are not even in the country... No, if their memories return, then they will find their way home, eventually. It is best to be there to greet them."

"And what if their memories don't return?" Sango asks, now fighting back tears. She, Miroku, Shippo, and Kilala had been at this woman's village for two days, trying to find some way to help or return their friends. They'd performed one spell, under the shrine maiden's direction, but had no way of knowing if it had worked. And now she was telling them that there was nothing more they could do?

"They will, dear; it is just a matter of time. They may now have their identities returned to them and are heading to your Kaede's village, or they may still regard each other with uneasy trust. Without an elixir--which only certain priests and pristesses know how to create--their minds will have to heal in a normal length of time. It may take longer than the kit and the wolf, but it will happen, as theirs would have. Sentient beings are funny that way."

Sango frowns at the woman as she smiles to herself, thinking that she had spent too much time in her chosen art. The slayer glances at Miroku, who shrugs.

"And you're certain about these demons, Lady Mirai? Capturing one will have no effect on getting Inuyasha and Kagome back?"

The elder woman turns to the monk, giving him a sad smile. "No. Their powers are individualistic, and limited. Capturing one only means that you are a very smart predator. I am astonished that he was able to control their power; it was not thought that one could utilize them in that way. Nor is it desired, as you can see."

"Nothing about him surprises me anymore."

The adults glance down at the fox between them, who was absently stroking Kilala's tails while the conversation floated over the demon's heads.

"At least I remember you guys, though," Shippo adds with a frown. "Mostly, at least. A lot of things are still blurry. Like, why does the monk ask every woman he meets to have his child?"

* * *

La la la... Comment if you like... :)


	22. The Fifth

Had to mention this: Just found out that a raccoon-dog is a _real_ animal. I always thought it was a raccoon, but it isn't. It's a canid native to the Asian countries, and only looks like a raccoon b/c of the 'mask.' Otherwise, it's body is kind of a cross between a fox with smaller ears, and a mink or ferret (it has a longer body, relative to it's height), with darkish grey-brown colored fur. Anyway, if anyone else was misinformed, like me, there you go. :) Not that it's really relevant here...

* * *

Kiiru doesn't move as the small, colorful creature streaks between his legs, comes to an abrupt stop in a spray of snow, and sprints back to him. It looks up at the boy with its large violet eyes, releasing a small whine. The hanyou can see that it's visibly shaking. Not that he was surprised.

"I don't know what you are, but stay close," he says, lowering his body into a crouch and placing one hand on the hilt of his sword.

The creature makes a sound like a squeak, before scrambling up Kiiru's leg and back, settling on one shoulder, its small but extremely sharp nails digging into the boy's form.

"_Ouch_...," the hanyou mumbles, emphasizing his displeasure with a growl. The pricking sensation stirs a vague memory in the back of his mind, but the figures that had been following the small creature don't give him any time to wonder about it.

The beasts release a combined roar as they realize that there is now an obstacle between themselves and their intended prey, the deafeaning sound seeming to mometarily halt the swirling flakes' fall from the sky. Kiiru narrows his golden eyes as he gets his first whiff of the enemies; as the three beings split apart, trying to surround him and the small unknown.

_I know this stench...._ he thinks, his expression morphing into a snarl, which his targets don't notice. The brief homicidal tendency quickly dissipates, leaving a sense of extreme annoyance and anger, but Kiiru doesn't dwell on it. There was a battle to focus on.

The hanyou slides his blade completely from its scabbard, smirking to himself as the horse-sized, shaggy black creatures pause at the sight of the weapon, blurred though it may have been in the storm. Kiiru briefly warns the fuzzy on his back to hang on tightly, before the fight begins.

The boy moves as the first of the wolves lunges for him, springing toward the animal and shortening the distance between them. He aims for the throat, just catching the beast before the wolf retreats, a small stream of blood flowing from the open wound, beneath the flashing of white teeth.

Kiiru grins bitterly as he pivots and swings at the pair that had come up fast behind him, barely getting away as the largest of the trio somehow manages to slide beneath his blade and continue after him, jaws snapping furiously.

The hanyou hears the small being on his back whimper over the howls of the wolves as they give chase, as its claws dig further into his muscles. He barely touches the snow dunes as he runs, dashing across them only seconds before his pursuers, seeing the copse of trees and the ramshackle building where Sakura was moments later.

Kiiru's stops instantly in horror, tumbling into a drift and losing his sword. Two of his three pursuers skid past him, sending up huge sprays of the white powder as they scramble, trying to stop. The third slams into the pair, separating them, and leaving the boy nose-to-nose with his enemy.

The hanyou pushes his frantic worry about the young miko to the back of his mind as he grabs onto the heavy fur of the gray wolf, struggling to stay out of range of the snapping teeth only inches away. He sneers when the beast offers up a frustrated growl that it can't get to him, and hangs on tightly with one hand when the animal abruptly backpeddles, swinging it's head quickly side-to-side, trying to shake him off.

Kiiru sees one of the other two predators out of the corner of his eye, circling him and the lead wolf, growling. He hears the other release a short, brief bark from a distance away, and then a high-pitched squeal that comes right on the first sound's heels.

_Dammit!! _the boy thinks, adding a snarl to the silent curse, as he struggles to hang on to the incensed wolf. He had somehow become protective of the small, furry creature in the few moments that he had known it, and hearing the frightened sound coming from it now was not welcome, or encouraging. It had come to him and Sakura for help, and was basically back to where it started, danger-wise.

Kiiru makes a split-second decision and lets go of his mount on the next head-shake, hoping that he doesn't trade one attacker for another. The half-demon goes flying through the air and lands in a drift, his two stalkers mometarily confused by his sudden disappearance.

The boy is on his feet in seconds, sprinting for the small creature who was diving from one snowbank to another, just barely avoiding it's pursuer. He bares his fangs at the red stain the creature leaves on the whiteness, wondering how badly it has been injured.

"Hey!" Kiiru yells, trying to distract the golden creature's attacker. This idea has it's desired effect, but with the additional action of also attracting the other two wolves' attention. The hanyou makes a dive for the furry animal, scooping it into his arms, rolling, then propelling himself sideways, sliding out of range, just avoiding the three beasts as they all collide.

The boy stifles an urge to smirk as the trio unwinds themselves amid a flurry of tangled limbs, snow, and raging growls, turning on one another for a brief moment before they focus on the retreating hanyou.

By the time they gain their feet, Kiiru has hidden his passenger in his kosode and is sprinting rapidly toward his sword, which has changed back into its rough-looking form, but is still visible on the top of a drift. The boy hears the snarls moments before he reaches it, but lunges forward anyway, feeling the sting of claws across his right leg as that hand grasps the hilt of the weapon.

He doesn't even think about what he's doing before releasing the attack, screaming it's name into the howling air.

"_WINDSCAR!"_

The half-demon momentarily grins to himself as the arcs of yellow-white light flash before him, striking the center wolf head-on and killing it immediately, the body flying a hundred yards away. The remaining two--one fatally injured, though it was still standing, and the other, who had lucked out and was bleeding freely from a front leg, but was otherwise unharmed--bare their fangs at him, preparing to attack again. They apparently didn't know when to give up.

Kiiru snorts in frustration as he gains his feet again, sneering at the pain that shoots up his leg, but then ignoring it. He aims for the more severely injured of the pair, rationalizing that it would try all the harder to take him down now, since it would shortly be leaving the world itself.

He sprints forward with his transformed sword by his side, altering his path at the last moment so that the other wolf--who was trailing him--misses by mere inches, and ends up slamming into the other, who had stepped forward to intercept the hanyou. The more severely injured beast howls in pain at the contact, snaps once at the other wolf, then struggles back to it's feet, glancing around for it's prey.

Kiiru hadn't wasted any time watching the exchange, but had circled tightly and was now on the other side of the dying animal. He releases a gutteral yell and raises his sword, ending the wolf's life with a quick strike between it's ribs.

The creature blinks once at the red and silver blur, delayed comprehension flitting across it's large yellow eyes before it drops. The half-demon bounds away before the remaining wolf can touch him, though it's only seconds before he finds it hot on his trail.

_Two down...one to go..._

The boy sucks in a breath, finally feeling his endurance beginning to wane. He double-checks to make sure the small creature is still safely tucked inside his kosode, then quickly twists and lunges back the way he had come, angling his sword upwards.

The hanyou sees the wolf skid a moment later, trying to stop, then deciding to vault over the boy instead. Kiiru braces his weapon then jumps upward, burying his sword to the hilt in one side of the wolf's chest. He hangs on tightly to the heavy fur, stifling a yelp and gritting his teeth when he feels the fangs sink into his shoulder.

Kiiru tightens his hold on the grip as the burning sensation floats down his arm and across the upper part of his back, fighting the wolf as it sidesteps, trying to shake him loose. A bright red stain is slowly spreading across his vision, but the half-demon doesn't know if it's due to his blood loss or the wolf's. He gives in to it a second later when he hears a sickening _crunch_ and a nauseating amount of pain, letting the beast throw him away, slamming hard into the ground. He grips his injured arm and rolls to his feet, battling the urge to scream by growling instead.

The grey animal sways in front of the boy, probably trying to do the same, as it was making a low gutteral sound. It gazes hatefully at the hanyou with it's yellow eyes, attempting to pull the blade from it's chest with it's teeth, and then it's front paw, before it manages to loose it from it's body. The wolf turns to Kiiru, still snarling, as the sword drops to the snow and reverts to it's smaller form. It staggers forward, blood dripping from it's fangs, intermittantly lunging toward the boy.

Kiiru backpedals away from the beast, just staying in front of it. All he really has to do now is avoid the wolf until it dies, which shouldn't have been that difficult. The boy finds the action getting harder to do, however, as he begins to get light-headed from the pain and the loss of blood. He snarls as he fights against the dizziness, stepping to the side and catching one foot on something, falling to his knees.

The boy glances back up just in time to get pinned beneath a huge paw, the dying wolf bearing down on him, it's jaws wide. Kiiru might have had the strength to push it away, but his uninjured arm was trapped between his body and the creature's foot, and his legs were wedged underneath him. He had no place to go.

Before he has half-a-second to plan an escape, a high-pitched keening sounds beside him, and the boy flattens his ears as far into his hair as he can, though the wail still makes the appendages ring and his head spin. The sound has the same effect on the wolf, who jumps away from Kiiru, shaking it's head to dispel the echo.

The hanyou turns his head, smirking as he gets to his feet. He had stumbled over the small golden creature, who had apparently fallen sometime while he was trying to avoid the wolf, and was now lying on it's belly in the snow. The being was the source of the noise, it's own ears held flat against it's skull as it distracted their attacker.

It was only a temporary diversion, however. The fuzzy animal almost immediately stops it's shrieking, coughing hoarsely several times as it turns toward Kiiru. It blinks it's large eyes as if to ask: _Well, what now?_

The half-demon wraps a hand around the being's tiny frame and settles it into the crook of his injured arm, then turns to the wolf. The beast was still shaking it's head, but wouldn't remain disoriented for much longer.

Kiiru snarls as he tries to think of a way to end the battle without taking on any more injuries. His leg would take about half-a-day to heal; his arm more than twice that, if his bones had broken neatly, which he doubted. The way that they ground against each other when he moved his arm was not comforting. Even the blood coating his fingers didn't...

The hanyou glances down at his hand, spreading his fingers so that the red liquid slides down his claws. He feels something stir in the back of his mind; some attack that he would often use as a last resort. He didn't like to; it required him to be injured, and also used energy that he might still need to defend himself.

But the wolf was coming back, he and his passenger were in mortal danger, and his sword was out of reach. He was out of options.

So Kiiru buries his good hand into the tattered arm of his kosode, soaks his claws with his own blood, and takes a split-second to talk to himself. He doesn't register the words until after he speaks them, as he's aiming at the charging animal, throwing the scarlet drops in it's direction. Or so he thinks.

"_BLADES OF BLOOD!"_

The boy stares in wonder as the crimson arcs fly through the air, connect with the wolf, and throw it backwards. Several tears open in the beast's furry hide, amid yelps of pain and anger. The animal thrashes on it's back for a few moments before it rights itself and staggers back to it's feet, teeth bared. But it's too late.

Kiiru watches his opponent with narrowed eyes as it tries to lumber back toward him, it's labored breath misting in front of it's black nose. The boy takes a hesitant step backward, just in case, before the wolf stops. It offers Kiiru a snarl as it falls to the ground, still growling, it's blood slowly soaking the white landscape. The hanyou waits until the last breath leaves the creature before retrieving his sword and approaching it, making sure it was finally still.

Kiiru releases a long sigh as he turns away from his last opponent, sheathing his sword. He glances down at the golden creature when it squeaks at him, licking his hand.

"I know. I'm glad that's over, too."

**OoooOoooO**

"This really isn't good."

"No kidding."

The pair ignores the angry chattering coming from the female fairy hovering over their heads, focusing on cleaning and wrapping Kiiru's injuries. The boy had returned to the shack to find Sakura almost hyperventiliating over the attack, and angry at his running off without her, the emotions coming through even though she was still sickly. Her ire quickly dissipated when she saw his wounds, though, and the additional companion that he had rescued. Speaking of...

"Where did it go?" Sakura asks, wiping off the last of the blood on the boy's shoulder. Kiiru had insisted that they treat the furball--as he had started calling the creature--before working on his own wounds. Thankfully, it only had superficial cuts, and didn't take long to treat. Now it had disappeared.

"I think...outside," Kiiru says, frowing at the direction the tiny woman was pointing. She immediately starts berating him again, but the boy doesn't bother wondering what she was so upset about. It was fairly obvious.

"Why would it do that?" the girl asks, turning to retrieve a bandage and finding her patient suddenly standing. "Where are you going?" she asks, over a cough. Sakura really wanted to finish wrapping Kiiru's wounds, drink some more tea, and lay down. Her energy and mental clarity had come back in the panic-ridden aftermath of the attack, but now she was crashing. It would take both of them to wrap the hanyou's arm, like his leg, and she didn't think she would be coherent for much longer than that.

"After the furball. I'll be back in a second," the boy says, somewhat angrily, bracing himself before he opens the door to the shack and disappears. Sakura exchanges a semi-worried look with the small female before she hears dull _thud_ and a string of curses.

"Damn it! What in all the hells...?"

The pair inside the house now give each other confused glances, looking toward the door a moment later as it opens and Kiiru comes back in, the creature right on his heels, looking distinctly pleased with itself.

"Our trench-digger," Kiiru mumbles, gesturing to the furry being before rubbing his now red nose. He explains when the others give him odd looks, glancing down at the animal beside his feet. "It can put up a barrier," the half-demon says, sourly.

"So...it's been helping us?" the miko asks, somewhat breathily, holding her good hand out to the creature. It walks right past her fingers and into her lap, settling down, then blinks it's large violet eyes at the girl before closing the lids and falling asleep, it's long tail completely covering it's angular face.

"Apparently," the boy says, sitting back down beside the girl with a frown and pulling his haori off his injured shoulder. He had briefly complained when Sakura had given it back, but she had countered with the fact that he was freezing, and she was not. One look at the stubborn set of her jaw and the hanyou had decided that it was easier not to argue. "We never tried to leave camp once we stopped for the night. And it couldn't...or wouldn't follow us into the Fortress. That must have been when it lost us."

"Told you it wasn't dangerous," Sakura says after a few moments, returning to her task of bandaging the boy, after patting the creature on the head. Kiiru rolls his eyes at the girl's small grin, before taking the other end of the dressing. It takes several minutes, and another set of miniscule hands, but the group finally manages to wrap his shoulder and upper arm. "Guess we're stuck here for a few days."

"Not hardly."

Sakura coughs, then frowns at the hanyou as she retrieves the two bowls in the fire, setting them aside to cool. One had medicine for her cold; the other something to help with Kiiru's pain. "Why? Now that you're injured too..." The miko stops abruptly when she sees what the boy is holding. She had all but forgotten about them. "You're not thinking of using that, are you?" she asks, glowering a little.

"Not me...you," Kiiru answers, replacing the vial containing the two liquids into his pack and ignoring the girl's shocked look. "I'll be fine in a few days, but your ankle will take weeks to heal. I'm pretty sure we don't have that kind of time," the half-demon says, lifting his bowl and taking a large sip, growling at the fact that he'd just burned his tongue. "I can't move those wolves with one arm. At least, not _well_. They'll attract others. We leave as soon as the storm passes."

Kiiru looks up when the girl doesn't immediately respond, watching her expression change as she thinks on his plan. After several moments she sighs, then takes a long draught from her own bowl, the steam causing her cheeks to pink even more than they already were.

"I suppose you're right," she says, staring down at the clear, brownish liquid. But Sakura couldn't help feeling that taking the potion now might cost them in the future.

**OoooOoooO**

"You feel alright?"

The girl shrugs, then wishes that she hadn't. The potion had worked; her ankle, shoulder, and ribs had healed. Mostly. She was very sore, and some of the bones that had been broken twinged a bit when she moved. It would still be a few more days before she would be able to move normally again. But she wasn't an invalid anymore.

"I guess," Sakura mumbles, then immediately begins coughing. She feels a low rumble from the boy behind her. "It's just the cough now, mainly. I don't feel like I'm about to collapse, and I don't want to sleep the day away. I'll be fine. Stop worrying."

The half-demon snorts at the top of the girl's head, absently watching their mare nab a few green leaves showing on a snow-covered bush as they pass. The pair had been lucky in that the roan had not run away after the last cry from their new traveling companion, who was now riding on the horse's whithers. Kiiru had found her after the attack, circling in the thicket of pines, ready to bolt, but otherwise fine. A few calm words from the hanyou had settled her considerably, and Kuri had returned with him to the shack's overhang. The boy had wondered why the male fairy was no longer with her, but as he wouldn't get an actual answer from the female, and he was too tired to play charades, he didn't ask. It did leave him fairly puzzled, and somewhat angered, even more so when the tiny man finally came back, looking weary. Kiiru decided the explanation could wait, as the storm was then breaking and the group needed to move.

"Hey...Sakura. I wanna see if this weather gets any better further on," Kiiru says suddenly, referring to the foliage they were seeing more of. They were moving steadily South, and the storm seemed to have been less violent where they were now, if the smaller drifts of piled snow were any indication. "Plus, I need to stretch my legs. I'm restless from sitting so much."

The girl gives the hanyou a frown as he jumps to the ground, but ends up shrugging a moment later. Kiiru's leg was pretty much healed now, and though his arm was still wrapped, she had no doubt that he would be able to take care of himself for a few minutes.

"I'll meet you at that ridge," Kiiru says, pointing to a rocky outcrop that can see peeking through the bare trees, the late afternoon sun sinking over the top. "I should still be able to hear you, so just scream if you get into trouble," he adds at the last second, with just a little smirk.

Sakura glares at the boy, then watches as him take off at a sprint, the male fairy hesitating a moment before following. The girl glances at the female with a raised brow, but the other woman just shrugs.

The young miko pushes her confusion away and concentrates on working the stiffness out of her sore muscles. They would heal faster if she moved them, even though it was painful to do so. A soft whinny from Kuri has Sakura snapping her head up, cringing at the effort, before she sees what the horse was irritated about.

The girl releases a sigh as the glittering red streak fades from her vision, wondering how many times the hanyou had circled her before she had noticed. She watches the blur cross in front of her a few times, several minutes apart, and probably also to the sides and behind her, if the barely-there _rustling_ was anything to go by.

Sakura smiles to herself at the boy's protective nature, giving the fuzzy animal seated before her a pat on the head. The creature blinks up at her, almost seeming to grin at the attention, it's head tilted to one side so that she can scratch behind it's ears. The girl stifles a giggle, which almost covers the sound. _Almost_.

The miko pulls on the reins, stopping Kuri, who snorts in irritation. Sakura angles her head, just able to hear the soft approach through the dampening snow, her tension increasing for several seconds before she notices that neither Kuri, nor the creature in her lap, nor the fairy hovering a few feet away were in the least bit worried.

That assuredness doesn't apply to her half-demon, though, and a few seconds later she hears loud crashing coming toward her, and a word that makes all the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

"_Kagome!"_

**OoooOoooO**

Kiiru had not been having a particularly good run. His leg was still acting twitchy, even if it had mostly healed, and his arm would be useless for another day, at least. Besides that, he felt tired, even after resting in the small shack for almost three hours while the storm blew past, and the feeling didn't settle well with him. At all.

_I can still wield my sword, just not as effectively..._ the boy thinks, scowling at his bandaged shoulder before deciding that it was pointless to glare at something he couldn't control.

He could, however, glare at the small man flying just off his good arm, though.

The male fairy studiously ignores the hanyou giving him a narrow glance, focusing on avoiding the low-hanging branches or fallen trees as the two of them move, heading South for about a mile, then turning West and circling close behind the others before going East, completing the pattern half-a-dozen times. On the third crossover, the palm-sized man loses his patience.

_What?!_ he says, coming to an abrupt stop in front of Kiiru and waving his arms in the air, before crossing them over his chest. The hanyou didn't need to guess to figure out what the other was asking.

"What happened to you?" the boy asks, imitating the fairy's posture and giving him a rather nasty sneer in the process. "You were supposed to stay with Kuri and you disappear? And then you don't come back for hours? What the hell happened? Were you attacked by something? A sparrow come after you?"

Kiiru tries not to smirk as the man glares hatefully at him, his fists balling at his sides. After a moment he seems to calm down, returning the grin in full-force. The half-demon then gets an earful of elaborate gestures and growling squeaks, but obviously can't make any of the words out. He does, however, get two basic impressions.

One: whatever happened to the male fairy was not his fault, or he had no control over it, as evidenced by the wild anger on his small features. And two: the hanyou's sword is somehow involved.

The second was actually easier to guess, mainly because the fairy kept pointing to the weapon on the boy's hip. Kiiru feels somewhat uneasy about this revelation, but honestly doesn't know what to make of it, and doesn't see how he will be able to find out anytime soon, unless he somehow learns fairy-speak.

However, he doesn't have much time to sulk about it, because the sounds of many things running suddenly captures his attention. This wouldn't have unduly alarmed him, except that the creatures--whatever the may have been--were heading directly for the others. And he had just now noticed.

With a suddenly pale complexion the half-demon starts running in the direction he had just come, ignoring the chattering by his head in favor of concentrating on his run. A few minutes later he gives up on stealth completely and simply barges through the snow-covered underbrush, yelling a warning to the young miko without thinking about what's he's saying.

"_Kagome!"_

**OoooOoooO**

The girl stares openly as the boy crashes through the trees beside her a moment before the deer, as they come to a stop, catching the first glimpses of one another. The mammals look slightly spooked and not a little shocked by the half-demon baring his fangs at them, growling quite loudly, the claws of his good hand extended. They exchange bewildered glances amongst themselves and with the other group before slowly moving off, giving the boy wide-eyed stares over their brown shoulders.

Kiiru continues to stare after the animals until the white tail of the last disappears from view, though now he was without the audio. After several seconds he turns, his cheeks pink, but an angry expression showing otherwise.

"Damn it! I was upwind! Why didn't I notice before?!" he mutters to himself, trembling slightly.

Sakura doesn't offer any explanation or comment, as she didn't want to irritate the upset half-demon any more than he already was, and she hadn't noticed there being any degree of wind to begin with. She just continues to sit quietly, as do the others, watching as the boy begins pacing, trying to walk off his annoyance. She was more concerned with what he had called her, anyway. The word had triggered something...

"Uh...Kiiru...?" she finally ventures, when it seemed like the hanyou wasn't going to offer anything more. With one last huff the boy turns, his cheeks pinking again for a moment before he responds.

"Yeah?" he asks, roughly, grabbing Kuri's reins and leading the horse toward the ridge they had been aiming for before the interruption.

The miko is silent for another few moments, trying to decide how to word her question. "Uh...what you said...what you called me...just now...? Do you think that's my...?"

"Pretty sure," the hanyou responds, glancing back at the girl.

Sakura watches the boy's expression slowly change from neutral to secretive, a sly grin finally emerging onto his face, and suddenly realizes that there is more that they need to speak about than just their new--or actually, old--names.

_Good thing we rested earlier... I have a feeling we'll be up for awhile..._ she thinks, watching the approaching twilight. Sakura suddenly frowns.

"Hey...In...Kiiru? Does the sky look darker than last night?"

* * *

*laughs evilly* Ok, so I didn't make guessing at least one thing that hard. Hopefully I gave you guys enough hints. And I'm gonna be nice for awhile and have a lot of things come out in the next chap, and tone down the drama some. I feel like I'm being mean, putting them through stuff. What else? Oh, I thought about leaving the battle out, but I had already written it, so I just decided to leave it and make the chap longer, b/c I said there would be some remembering. Just a teeny bit here, but our heroes get to stay up all night (another hint!) so they will have nothing to do but talk about things. Just gotta make sure I get everything in here...


End file.
